U.S. patent number 8,454,365 [Application Number 12/161,252] was granted by the patent office on 2013-06-04 for digital dentistry.
This patent grant is currently assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company. The grantee listed for this patent is David E. Altobelli, Joseph Boerjes, Michael P. Girard, Douglas M. Johnston, Eric B. Paley, Janos Rohaly, Micah J. Rosenbloom, Simon K. J. Schiessl, Edward K. Tekeian, Steven V. Weeks. Invention is credited to David E. Altobelli, Joseph Boerjes, Michael P. Girard, Douglas M. Johnston, Eric B. Paley, Janos Rohaly, Micah J. Rosenbloom, Simon K. J. Schiessl, Edward K. Tekeian, Steven V. Weeks.
United States Patent |
8,454,365 |
Boerjes , et al. |
June 4, 2013 |
Digital dentistry
Abstract
The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a scanning
system for capturing highly detailed digital dental models. These
models may be used within a dentist's office for a wide array of
dental functions including quality control, restoration design, and
fitting. These models may also, or instead, be transmitted to
dental laboratories that may, alone or in collaboration with the
originating dentist or other dental professionals, transform the
digital model into a physical realization of a dental hardware
item.
Inventors: |
Boerjes; Joseph (Medford,
MA), Schiessl; Simon K. J. (Berlin, DE), Girard;
Michael P. (Ontario, CA), Rosenbloom; Micah J.
(Boston, MA), Paley; Eric B. (Somerville, MA), Tekeian;
Edward K. (Cambridge, MA), Weeks; Steven V. (North
Andover, MA), Altobelli; David E. (Hollis, NH), Johnston;
Douglas M. (Winchester, MA), Rohaly; Janos (Acton,
MA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Boerjes; Joseph
Schiessl; Simon K. J.
Girard; Michael P.
Rosenbloom; Micah J.
Paley; Eric B.
Tekeian; Edward K.
Weeks; Steven V.
Altobelli; David E.
Johnston; Douglas M.
Rohaly; Janos |
Medford
Berlin
Ontario
Boston
Somerville
Cambridge
North Andover
Hollis
Winchester
Acton |
MA
N/A
N/A
MA
MA
MA
MA
NH
MA
MA |
US
DE
CA
US
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
3M Innovative Properties
Company (Saint Paul, MN)
|
Family
ID: |
38287960 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/161,252 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2007 |
PCT
Filed: |
January 19, 2007 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/US2007/001547 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
June 02, 2009 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2007/084727 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
July 26, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20090298017 A1 |
Dec 3, 2009 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
60761078 |
Jan 20, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
433/223;
700/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C
11/08 (20130101); A61B 5/7435 (20130101); A61C
19/04 (20130101); A61C 13/0022 (20130101); G06T
17/00 (20130101); A61B 5/1077 (20130101); A61B
5/4547 (20130101); G06T 1/0007 (20130101); G06T
19/00 (20130101); A61C 9/0046 (20130101); A61B
1/24 (20130101); A61C 9/0053 (20130101); G01B
11/2513 (20130101); G06T 17/30 (20130101); G16H
20/40 (20180101); A61C 11/085 (20130101); A61C
9/0086 (20130101); G16H 40/20 (20180101); B33Y
80/00 (20141201); G06T 2210/41 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61C
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;433/223,201.1,202.1,203.1 ;700/97,98,105,118,163 ;715/971 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19524855 |
|
Jan 1997 |
|
DE |
|
10 2005 016 245 |
|
Oct 2006 |
|
DE |
|
1 650 529 |
|
Apr 2006 |
|
EP |
|
WO 00/19929 |
|
Apr 2000 |
|
WO |
|
2004/044787 |
|
May 2004 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
European Search Report, 62701EP008, PCT/US2007/001547, May 11,
2010. cited by applicant .
European Search Report, 62701EP011, PCT/US2007/001652, May 11,
2010. cited by applicant .
"Digital impressions: eliminating the weak link", Lab Management
Today Jan. 2006 , 20 et seq. cited by applicant .
Ahmed et al., "3D Reconstruction of the Human Jaw from a Sequence
of Images" Proceedings of the Comp. Vis. And Patt. Recog. (CVPR97)
Conference, (1997) p. 1-8. cited by applicant .
Ahmed et al., "Shape Recovery of the Jaw Impression from a Sequence
of Images" Computer Vision and Image Processing Laboratory,
University of Louisville, Department of Electrical Engineering, pp.
1-4. cited by applicant .
Ares et al., "Position and Displacement Sensing with Shack-Hartmann
wave-front sensors" Applied Opics, vol. 39, No. 10, (2000) pp.
1511-1520. cited by applicant .
Blais, "Biris: A Simple 3-D Sensor" Electrical Engineering
Division, SPIE vol. 728 Optics, Illumination, and Image Sensing for
Machine Vision (1986) pp. 235-242. cited by applicant .
Castellini, et al. "Hartmann Test Modification for Measuring
Ophthalmic Progressive Lenses" Applied Optics, vol. 33, No. 19
(1994) pp. 4120-4124. cited by applicant .
Hart, "High-Speed PIV Analysis Using Compressed Image Correlation"
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Journal of Fluids
Engineering, vol. 120 (1998) pp. 463-470. cited by applicant .
Hart, "PIV Error Correction" Experiments in Fluids 29 (2000) pp.
13-20. cited by applicant .
Hart, "Super-Resolution PIV by Recursive Local-Correlation" Journal
of Visualization, The Visualization Society of Japan, vol. 10
(1999) pp. 1-10. cited by applicant .
Hassan et al., "A Complete Volumetric 3D Model of the Human Jaw"
Computer Vision and Image Processing Lab, University of Louisville.
cited by applicant .
Hemayed et al., "Three Dimensional Model Building in Computer
Vision with Orthodontic Application" TR-CVIP Nov. 1996, pp. 1-27.
cited by applicant .
Laude et al., "Hartmann wave-front scanner" Optics Letter, vol. 24,
No. 24, (1999) pp. 1796-1798. cited by applicant .
Motohashi et al., "A 3D Computer-Aided Design Systerm Applied to
Diagnosis and Treatment Plannin in Orthodontics and Orthognathic
Surgery" European Journal of Orthodontics 21 (1999) 263-274. cited
by applicant .
Schechner et al., "Depth from Defocus vs. Stereo: How Different
Really Are They?" International Journal of Computer Vision, 39(2),
(2000) pp. 141-162. cited by applicant .
Tomasi et al., "Shape and Motion for Image Streams under
Orthography: a Factorization Method" International Journal of
Computer Vision, 9:2, (1992) pp. 137-154. cited by applicant .
Yamany et al., "A 3D Reconstruction System for the Human Jam Using
a Sequence of Optical Images" School of Dentistry, University of
Louisville, pp. 1-22. cited by applicant .
Yamany et al., "A System for Human Jaw Modeling Using Intra-Oral
Images" Computer Vision and Image Processing Laboratory, p. 1-4.
cited by applicant .
Yamany et al., "Orthodontics Measurements using Computer Vision"
Computer Vision and Image Processing Laboratory, University of
Louisville, Department of Electrical Engineering, pp. 1-4. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Lewis; Ralph
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of
PCT/US2007/001547, filed Jan. 19, 2007, which claims benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/761,078, filed Jan. 20, 2006,
the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its
entirety herein.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: seating a dental patient in a clinical
office; acquiring a digital dental impression including
three-dimensional digital surface data for one or more intraoral
structures from two dental arches of the dental patient, the
digital dental impression including bite registration data
characterizing an alignment of the two dental arches and dynamic
information characterizing relative motion of the two dental
arches; transmitting the digital dental impression to a dental
laboratory before the patient leaves the office, the digital dental
impression including a case plan for a dental restoration, wherein
the case plan specifies a cementation void for the dental
restoration; and receiving an evaluation of the case plan from the
dental laboratory before the patient leaves the office based upon
the bite registration data, the dynamic information, and the
dynamic information, the evaluation including an identification of
at least one region of the one or more intraoral structures
requiring additional preparation of the one or more intraoral
structures requested by the dental laboratory to prepare the dental
restoration based upon the case plan.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising preparing the one or
more intraoral structures according to the evaluation.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation includes an
evaluation of surface continuity.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation includes an
evaluation of data density.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation includes an
evaluation of feature detail.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more intraoral structures
includes a tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the case plan includes a type of
restoration.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the case plan includes a design
of restoration.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the case plan includes a list of
restoration components.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of restoration
components includes a full ceramic component.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of restoration
components includes a porcelain-fused-to-metal component.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the case plan includes a
specification of one or more restoration materials.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional information
requested by the dental laboratory includes a request for manual
marking of a margin on the digital dental impression.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to dentistry, and more particularly for
dental applications of digital, three-dimensional representations
of dentition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dentistry today largely continues in the mold of the past, using
techniques pioneered by ancient Egyptians. One basic technique for
manufacturing a dental restoration, the so-called lost wax method,
employs a wax pattern from which a metal casting is made. A mold of
the wax pattern is made using a high-heat investment material. The
mold is then heated in a furnace, the pattern is then burned out,
and the investment ring is cast or filled with some type of alloy
or some other substance to provide a final version of a dental
restoration. A dentist bonds this prosthetic to a site in a
patient's mouth that has been hand-prepared to match the
prosthetic. As a significant disadvantage, a substantial burden is
placed on practicing dentists to physically match restorations and
tooth surfaces. Further complicating this process, the wax model
itself is typically created from a physical cast of the patient's
mouth. The casting process can introduce errors into a final
restoration, as can material handling in the multiple steps carried
out by a dental laboratory to go from the original dental
impression to the final restoration.
In theory, digital dentistry offers manifest advantages of quality,
portability, and durability as compared to cast models of physical
impressions. However, advances in dentistry have been muted, at
least in part due to the inability to easily capture adequate
three-dimensional data for teeth and surrounding soft tissue. In
addition, dentistry has achieved only limited gains from general
improvements in manufacturing technologies because each dental
patient and restoration presents a unique, one-off product.
There remains a need for dentistry tools that capture high-quality
digital dental models, as well as tools that permit the design and
manufacture of dental hardware from such models.
SUMMARY
The systems and methods disclosed herein employ a scanning system
for capturing highly detailed digital dental models. These models
may be used within a dentist's office for a wide array of dental
functions including quality control, restoration design, and
fitting. These models may also, or instead, be transmitted to
dental laboratories that may, alone or in collaboration with the
originating dentist or other dental professionals, transform the
digital model into a physical realization of a dental hardware
item.
A method disclosed herein includes acquiring a three-dimensional
representation of one or more intraoral structures of a dental
patient using an intraoral scanner; and providing the
three-dimensional representation to a dental fabrication
facility.
The method may further include fabricating a dental restoration at
the dental fabrication facility using the three-dimensional
representation. The dental fabrication facility may include a
dental laboratory. The one or more intraoral structures may include
at least one dental implant, at least one tooth, at least one tooth
surface prepared for a dental restoration, at least one previously
restored tooth, and/or at least one area of soft tissue. The method
may further include fabricating a dental prosthesis at the dental
fabrication facility using the three-dimensional
representation.
The method may further include transmitting the three-dimensional
representation to a dental laboratory and, in response, receiving
an assessment of quality for the three-dimensional representation
from the dental laboratory. The assessment of quality may be
received before the dental patient leaves a dentist's office. The
assessment of quality may include an assessment of acceptability of
the three-dimensional representation. The method may further
include transmitting the three-dimensional representation to a
dental laboratory and, in response, receiving an assessment of
quality of the at least one prepared tooth surface. Transmitting
the three-dimensional representation to a dental fabrication
facility may include transmitting to a remote dental laboratory for
fabrication of a dental restoration for the one or more intraoral
structures. The method may further include transmitting the
three-dimensional representation to a dental data hub. The method
may further include transmitting a prescription for the dental
restoration with the three-dimensional representation. The method
may further include transmitting the three-dimensional
representation to a model production laboratory. The model
production laboratory may be a milling facility, a manufacturing
facility, or a three-dimensional rapid prototyping facility.
Transmitting the three-dimensional representation to a dental
fabrication facility may include providing the three-dimensional
representation to an in-office dental laboratory for fabrication of
a dental restoration for the one or more intraoral structures.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, may perform the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more intraoral structures of
a dental patient from an intraoral scanner; converting the one or
more images into a three-dimensional representation of the one or
more intraoral structures; and transmitting the three-dimensional
representation to a dental fabrication facility.
The computer program may further include computer code that
performs the step of comparing quality of the three-dimensional
representation to predefined quality criteria. The predefined
quality criteria may include acceptability of the three-dimensional
representation for fabrication. The computer program may further
include computer code that performs the steps of: retrieving a
prescription for at least one of a prosthesis or an appliance by a
dentist; and combining the prescription with the three-dimensional
representation prior to transmitting the three-dimensional
representation. The one or more intraoral structures may include at
least one dental implant, one tooth, or one tooth surface prepared
for a dental restoration. The computer program may further include
computer code that performs the step of comparing quality of the at
least one prepared tooth surface to predefined quality criteria.
The one or more intraoral structures may include at least one area
of soft tissue.
A system disclosed herein includes an intraoral scanner for
acquiring a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures of a dental patient; and a transmission means
for transmitting the three-dimensional representation to a dental
fabrication facility.
The system may further include a first fabrication means for
fabricating a dental restoration at the dental fabrication facility
using the three-dimensional representation. The one or more
intraoral structures may include at least one dental implant, one
tooth, least one tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration,
or one area of soft tissue. The system may further include a second
fabrication means for fabricating a dental prosthesis at the dental
fabrication facility using the three-dimensional representation.
The system may further include a quality assessment means for
assessing quality of the three-dimensional representation. The
quality assessment means may include a means for determining
acceptability of the three-dimensional representation for use with
the first fabrication means. The quality assessment means may
include a means for determining acceptability of the
three-dimensional representation for use with the second
fabrication means. The one or more intraoral structures may include
at least one tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration,
wherein the quality assessment means includes a means for
determining quality of the at least one prepared tooth surface.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes receiving a
three-dimensional representation of a tooth, the tooth prepared for
a dental restoration; specifying a cementation void between the
tooth surface and the dental restoration; and fabricating the
dental restoration such that the dental restoration, when mated to
the tooth surface, defines an empty space corresponding to the
cementation void.
The method may include adjusting the cementation void, such as
according to a dentist's preferences or according to the type of
cement to be used in the cementation void. The cementation void may
be specified by a dentist. The dentist may send the specification
to a dental laboratory. The cementation void may be specified by a
dental laboratory. The method may include three-dimensionally
printing a die including the cementation void. The method may
include fabricating a die including the cementation void with a
stereo lithography apparatus. The method may include
three-dimensionally printing a wax-up including the cementation
void. The method may include milling a die including the
cementation void. The method may include integrating the
cementation void into a digital surface representation of the
tooth. The method may include integrating the cementation void into
a dental model. The three-dimensional representation may include a
digital surface representation of the tooth. Fabricating the dental
restoration may include fabricating the dental restoration in an
in-house laboratory in a dentist's office. The method may further
include fabricating an opposing arch for an arch including the
tooth, the opposing arch including a die spacer having a
predetermined thickness.
In another aspect, a computer program product disclosed herein
includes computer executable code embodied in a computer readable
medium that, when executed on one or more computer devices,
performs the steps of: acquiring one or more images of a tooth of a
dental patient from an intraoral scanner, the tooth including a
tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration; converting the one
or more images into a three-dimensional representation of the
tooth; specifying a cementation void between the tooth surface and
the dental restoration; combining the specification for the
cementation void with the three-dimensional representation into a
fabrication specification; and transmitting the fabrication
specification to a dental fabrication facility.
A dentist may specify the cementation void. The computer program
product may include code that performs the step of receiving a
specification of the cementation void from the dental fabrication
facility. The computer program product may include code for
three-dimensionally printing the cementation void to a die. The
computer program product may include code for three-dimensionally
printing the cementation void to a wax up. The computer program
product may include code that performs the step of integrating the
cementation void into a digital surface representation of the
tooth.
In another aspect, a system disclosed herein includes a first means
for three-dimensionally representing a tooth, the tooth prepared
for a dental restoration; a second means for specifying a
cementation void, the cementation void representing an empty space
between the tooth surface and the dental restoration; and a
fabrication means for fabricating the dental restoration such that
the dental restoration, when mated to the tooth surface, defines an
empty space corresponding to the cementation void.
The system may include an adjustment means for adjusting the
cementation void. The adjustment means may include means for
incorporating a dentist's preferences. The adjustment means may
include means for adjusting the cementation void according to a
type of cement. The system may include a first printing means for
three-dimensionally printing a die including the cementation void.
The system may include a second printing means for
three-dimensionally printing a wax-up including the cementation
void. The system may include a milling means for milling a die
including the cementation void. The system may include a milling
means for milling an investment chamber for casting including the
cementation void. The system may include a model means for
integrating the cementation void into a model of a dental
impression. The three-dimensional representation of a tooth may
include a digital surface representation of the tooth.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes fabricating a
dental object; acquiring a first three-dimensional representation
of the object; and measuring a dimensional accuracy of the first
three-dimensional representation. The first three-dimensional
representation may include a digital surface representation. The
dental object may include a dental prosthesis, a dental implant, a
dental appliance, a dental restoration, a restorative component, or
an abutment. The method may include acquiring a second
three-dimensional representation of one or more teeth including at
least one tooth surface prepared for the dental object, wherein
measuring a dimensional accuracy may include evaluating a fit
between the item of the first three-dimensional representation and
the at least one tooth surface of the second three-dimensional
representation. The method may further include acquiring a second
three-dimensional representation of one or more teeth including at
least one tooth surface prepared for the dental object, wherein
measuring a dimensional accuracy may include evaluating one or more
contact points between the item of the first three-dimensional
representation and the one or more teeth of the second
three-dimensional representation when the item is virtually affixed
to the at least one tooth surface. The method may further include
acquiring a second three-dimensional representation of one or more
teeth including at least one tooth surface prepared for the dental
object and at least one opposing tooth, wherein measuring a
dimensional accuracy may include evaluating one or more contact
points between the item of the first three-dimensional
representation and the at least one opposing tooth of the second
three-dimensional representation when the item is virtually affixed
to the at least one tooth surface. The second three-dimensional
representation may be acquired as a plurality of separate scans.
The second three-dimensional representation may be acquired as a
continuous scan of the at least one tooth surface and the at least
one opposing tooth in occlusion. A dentist may specify tightness of
fit of the dental object. Measuring a dimensional accuracy may
include quantifying tightness of fit of the dental object.
Measuring a dimensional accuracy includes measuring quality of a
margin.
A computer program product may include computer executable code
embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executed on one
or more computer devices, performs the steps of: acquiring one or
more images of a dental object, converting the one or more images
of the dental object into a first three-dimensional representation
of the item; and measuring a dimensional accuracy of the first
three-dimensional representation. The first three-dimensional
representation may include a digital surface representation.
The dental object may include a dental prosthesis, a dental
implant, a dental appliance, a dental restoration, a restorative
component, or an abutment. The computer program product may include
code that performs the steps of: acquiring one or more images of
one or more teeth including at least one tooth surface prepared for
the dental object; and converting the one or more images of the one
or more teeth into a second three-dimensional representation of the
one or more teeth, wherein measuring a dimensional accuracy
includes evaluating a fit between the item of the first
three-dimensional representation and the at least one tooth surface
of the second three-dimensional representation. The computer
program product may include code that performs the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more teeth including at
least one tooth surface prepared for the dental object; converting
the one or more images of the one or more teeth into a second
three-dimensional representation of the one or more teeth; and
generating one or more contact points between the item of the first
three-dimensional representation and the one or more teeth of the
second three-dimensional representation by virtually affixing the
item to the at least one tooth surface, wherein measuring includes
evaluating one or more contact points.
The computer program product may further include computer code that
performs the steps of: acquiring one or more images of one or more
teeth including at least one tooth surface prepared for the dental
object and at least one opposing tooth; converting the one or more
images of the one or more teeth and the at least one opposing tooth
into a second three-dimensional representation of the one or more
teeth and the at least one opposing tooth; and generating one or
more contact points between the item of the first three-dimensional
representation and the at least one opposing tooth of the second
three-dimensional representation by virtually affixing the item to
the at least one tooth surface, wherein measuring includes
evaluating one or more contact points. Measuring a dimensional
accuracy may include quantifying tightness of fit of the dental
object. Measuring a dimensional accuracy may include measuring
quality of a margin.
A system disclosed herein includes a fabrication means for
fabricating a dental object; a first means for acquiring a first
three-dimensional representation of the item; and a measurement
means for measuring a dimensional accuracy of the first
three-dimensional representation. The first three-dimensional
representation may include a digital surface representation.
The dental object may include a dental prosthesis, a dental
implant, a dental appliance, a dental restoration, a restorative
component, or an abutment. The system may further include a second
means for acquiring a second three-dimensional representation of
one or more teeth including at least one tooth surface prepared for
the dental object, wherein measuring a dimensional accuracy may
include evaluating a fit between the item of the first
three-dimensional representation and the at least one tooth surface
of the second three-dimensional representation. The system may
further include a second means for acquiring a second
three-dimensional representation of one or more teeth including at
least one tooth surface prepared for the dental object, wherein
measuring a dimensional accuracy may include evaluating one or more
contact points between the item of the first three-dimensional
representation and the one or more teeth of the second
three-dimensional representation when the item is virtually affixed
to the at least one tooth surface. The system may further include a
second means for acquiring a second three-dimensional
representation of one or more teeth including at least one tooth
surface prepared for the dental object and at least one opposing
tooth, wherein measuring a dimensional accuracy may include
evaluating one or more contact points between the item of the first
three-dimensional representation and the at least one opposing
tooth of the second three-dimensional representation when the item
is virtually affixed to the at least one tooth surface. A dentist
may specify tightness of fit of the dental object. Measuring a
dimensional accuracy may include quantifying tightness of fit of
the dental object. Measuring a dimensional accuracy includes
measuring quality of a margin.
A method disclosed herein includes acquiring a three-dimensional
representation including three-dimensional surface data for at
least two independent dental structures; and acquiring motion data
characterizing a relative motion of the at least two independent
dental structures with respect to one another within a mouth.
The method may include deriving TMJ condyle paths of rotation and
translation from the motion data and the three-dimensional surface
data. The method may include providing input to a virtual dental
articulator. The method may include providing specifications for a
physical dental articulator. The method may include providing
specifications for a disposable dental articulator. Acquiring the
three-dimensional representation may include acquiring the
three-dimensional representation using an intraoral scanner.
Acquiring motion data may include acquiring motion data from a
video source.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, may perform the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of at least two independent dental
structures of a dental patient from an intraoral scanner;
converting the one or more images into a three-dimensional
representation of the at least two independent dental structures;
acquiring motion data characterizing a relative motion of the at
least two independent dental structures with respect to one
another; and combining the three-dimensional representation with
the motion data to derive TMJ condyle paths of rotation and
translation.
The computer program may include code that performs the steps of:
generating an image sequence of the combined three-dimensional
representation and the motion data; generating a display signal of
the image sequence. Acquiring motion data may include acquiring
motion data from a video source.
A system disclosed herein includes a first means for acquiring one
or more images of at least two independent dental structures of a
dental patient; a conversion means for converting the one or more
images into a three-dimensional representation of the at least two
independent dental structures; and a second means for acquiring
motion data characterizing a relative motion of the at least two
independent dental structures with respect to one another. The
system may include an analysis means for deriving TMJ condyle paths
of rotation and translation using the three-dimensional
representation and the motion data.
The system may include an action means for combining the
three-dimensional representation and the motion data to generate an
articulation input. The system may include a first model means for
virtually articulating the articulation input. The system may
include a second model means for physically articulating the
articulation input. The system may include a disposable model means
for physically articulating the articulation input. The first means
may include a means for acquiring the one or more images using an
intraoral scanner. The second means may include a means for
acquiring the motion data from a video source.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes receiving an
electronic dental prescription including prescription data, a first
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures including at least one tooth surface prepared for an
artificial dental object, and a second three-dimensional
representation of the at least one tooth surface prior to
preparation for the artificial dental object; and fabricating the
artificial dental object for the one or more intraoral structures
using the electronic dental prescription.
Receiving an electronic dental prescription may include receiving a
three-dimensional representation from a dental data hub or from a
dentist. Receiving a three-dimensional representation may include
receiving a prescription for a dental restoration for the tooth
surface. At least one of the first and second three-dimensional
representations may include a digital surface representation of a
full arch. The electronic dental prescription may include a
prescription for an appliance, a prosthesis, or an item of dental
hardware. Fabricating an artificial dental object may include
fabricating a dental restoration in an in-house laboratory in a
dentist's office.
A system disclosed herein includes a communication means for
receiving a prescription data, a first three-dimensional
representation of one or more intraoral structures including at
least one tooth surface prepared for an artificial dental object,
and a second three-dimensional representation of the at least one
tooth surface prior to preparation for the artificial dental
object; and a fabrication means for fabricating a dental
restoration for the one or more intraoral structures using the
three-dimensional representation.
The communication means may include a means for receiving the
electronic dental prescription from a dental data hub or a dentist.
The electronic dental prescription may include a prescription for a
dental restoration. At least one of the first and second
three-dimensional representations may include a digital surface
representation of a full arch. The electronic dental prescription
may include a prescription for one or more of an appliance, a
prosthesis, and an item of dental hardware. The fabrication means
may include in an in-house laboratory in a dentist's office.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes a single
dental visit, the steps of: acquiring a three-dimensional
representation of one or more intraoral structures from a dental
patient, the intraoral structures may include at least one tooth
surface prepared for an artificial dental object; and processing
the three-dimensional representation to provide feedback to a
dentist concerning the at least one tooth surface.
The feedback may identify corrective action. The corrective action
may include acquiring an additional three-dimensional
representation of the one or more intraoral structures. The
corrective action may include additional surface preparation of the
at least one tooth. The feedback may identify a margin for fitting
the dental restoration to the at least one tooth surface. The
margin for fitting may be edited. The feedback may include a visual
display of one or more regions of inadequate margin for fitting the
dental restoration to the at least one tooth surface. The feedback
may include a visual display recommending additional preparatory
work required for the at least one tooth surface. The feedback may
include a visual display recommending acquiring additional
three-dimensional representations of one or more regions of the one
or more intraoral structures. The feedback may include identifying
an incomplete three-dimensional representation. The feedback may
include identifying errors in the three-dimensional representation.
The feedback may include visual highlighting of a margin line on a
display of the three-dimensional representation.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more intraoral structures of
a dental patient, the intraoral structures including at least one
tooth surface prepared for an artificial dental object; converting
the one or more images into a three-dimensional representation of
the one or more intraoral structures; analyzing the at least one
tooth surface within the three-dimensional representation;
generating a feedback signal, the feedback signal representative of
the result of analyzing the at least one tooth surface; and
outputting the feedback signal to provide feedback to a
dentist.
The feedback signal may identify corrective action. The corrective
action may include acquiring an additional one or more images of
the one or more intraoral dental structures. The corrective action
may include additional surface preparation of the at least one
tooth. The feedback signal may identify a margin for fitting the
dental restoration to the at least one tooth surface. The margin
for fitting may be edited.
In another aspect, a system disclosed herein includes a scanning
device configured to intraorally capture surface image data from a
surface within a mouth of a dental patient; a computer coupled to
the scanning device and receiving the surface image data therefrom,
the computer configured to resolve the surface image data into a
digital surface reconstruction, the computer further configured to
generate a visualization of the digital surface reconstruction and
provide the visualization as a display signal; and a display
coupled to the computer and receiving the display signal therefrom,
the display converting the display signal into a viewable image of
the visualization. The surface may include dentition.
The scanning device may capture surface image data at a video frame
rate. The system may include a user interface controlled by the
computer and rendered on the display. The user interface may
provide at least one tool for analyzing the surface. The user
interface may include a tool that may provide real time feedback to
the user. The real time feedback may include visual cues within the
rendered image. The at least one tool may include a distance
measurement tool, a tool that may evaluate adequacy of tooth
structure removal from a dental restoration surface preparation, a
tool that may evaluate adequacy of margin preparations, a tool that
evaluates taper, a tool that evaluates undercut, or a tool that
identifies scan deficiencies. The scan deficiencies may include
holes in the surface. The at least one tool may include a tool that
evaluates adequacy of removal path in multiple unit preparation.
The at least one tool may include a tool that identifies
irregularities in one or more occlusal surfaces requiring further
preparation. Analyzing the surface may include an evaluation of
suitability for three-dimensional printing, of suitability for
milling, or of suitability for manual fabrication.
The computer may be further configured to automatically annotate
the visualization with a visual indication of an evaluation. The
visual indication includes an evaluation of contour of a surface
preparation. The surface image data may include at least two tooth
surfaces in occlusion. The visual indication may include an
evaluation of margin of a surface preparation. The visual
indication includes an evaluation of occlusal clearance of a
surface preparation. The surface may include at least one surface
prepared for a dental restoration, the evaluation including an
evaluation of an adequacy of the at least one surface for receiving
the dental restoration. The visual indication may include display
of a contour of an actual tooth and a computer-generated surface
preparation. The computer-generated surface preparation may be
based upon intact configuration of the actual tooth prior to
preparation.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes receiving a
three-dimensional representation that may include three-dimensional
surface data from an intraoral structure including at least one
tooth having a tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration; and
presenting the three-dimensional representation in a user
interface, the user interface may include a first tool for
identifying a margin line for the dental restoration on the at
least one tooth and a second tool for recessing a region of the
three-dimensional representation below the margin line.
The first tool may provide automated identification of the margin
line. The method may include removing a portion of the
three-dimensional representation below the margin line with the
second tool. The method may include removing a portion of the
three-dimensional representation below the margin line with the
second tool to provide a virtual ditched die, and
three-dimensionally printing the ditched die.
A system disclosed herein includes a means for receiving a
three-dimensional representation including three-dimensional
surface data from an intraoral structure that may include at least
one tooth having a tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration;
and a user interface means for presenting the three-dimensional
representation to a user, the user interface means may include a
first tool means for identifying a margin line for the dental
restoration on the at least one tooth and a second tool means for
recessing a region of the three-dimensional representation below
the margin line.
The first tool means may include a means for providing automated
identification of the margin line. The system may include a means
for removing a portion of the three-dimensional representation
below the margin line. The system may include a means for removing
a portion of the three-dimensional representation below the margin
line to provide a virtual ditched die, and a means for
three-dimensionally printing the ditched die.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes acquiring a
digital dental impression that may include three-dimensional
surface data for at least two independent dental structures; and
acquiring orientation data that may define a relative position of
at least a portion of each of the at least two independent dental
structures while in occlusion.
The orientation data may include three-dimensional surface data
that spans the at least two independent dental structures while in
occlusion. The orientation data may include three-dimensional
surface data from each of the at least two independent dental
structures while in occlusion. The occlusion may include a centric
occlusion. The method may include applying the orientation data to
position a virtual model of the at least two independent dental
structures in a virtual articulator. The method may include
fabricating models of each of the at least two independent dental
structures and may apply the orientation data to position the
models within a dental articulator. Acquiring orientation data may
include acquiring three-dimensional data of a buccal side of
dentition. Acquiring orientation data may include acquiring
three-dimensional data of a labial side of dentition.
A system disclosed herein includes a first acquisition means for
acquiring a digital dental impression including three-dimensional
surface data for at least two independent dental structures; and a
second acquisition means for that may acquire orientation data
defining a relative position of at least a portion of each of the
at least two independent dental structures while in occlusion.
The orientation data may include three-dimensional surface data
that spans the at least two independent dental structures while in
occlusion. The orientation data may include three-dimensional
surface data from each of the at least two independent dental
structures while in occlusion. The occlusion may include a centric
occlusion. The system may include a model means for virtually
articulating the at least two independent dental structures. The
system may include a fabrication means for fabricating models of
each of the at least two independent dental structures; and a model
means for physically articulating the fabricated models. The
orientation data may include three-dimensional data of a buccal
side of dentition. The orientation data may include
three-dimensional data of a labial side of dentition.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes providing an
intraoral three-dimensional scanning device; and scanning a
plurality of teeth in an arch with the device in a scan path that
may include a motion that begins at a first lingual point,
traverses laterally over a first occlusal point and a first buccal
point, translates to a second buccal point adjacent to the first
buccal point, and then traverses laterally over a second occlusal
point adjacent to the first occlusal point and a second lingual
point adjacent to the first lingual point.
The method may include scanning the plurality of teeth in the arch
with the device using a motion that translates to a third lingual
point, and then may traverse laterally over a third occlusal point
adjacent to the second occlusal point and a third buccal point
adjacent to the second buccal point. The first lingual point and
the second lingual point may be spaced apart such that a field of
view of the scanning device includes at least one overlapping
portion of the plurality of teeth when the scanning device is
positioned to image the first and second lingual points
respectively. The scan path may begin at a third buccal point, a
third palatal point, or a third labial point.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes within a
single dental visit, the steps of: acquiring a three-dimensional
representation of one or more intraoral structures including at
least one tooth prepared for a dental restoration; and processing
the three-dimensional representation that may provide feedback to a
dentist concerning the at least one tooth.
The feedback may include a physical dimension, a dimension of the
at least one tooth prior to preparation for the dental restoration,
a contour of the at least one tooth, a clearance relative to one or
more adjacent teeth for a dental restoration associated with the at
least one tooth, or a position of the at least one tooth. The
feedback may include a clearance relative to one or more teeth in
an opposing occluded arch.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps of:
acquiring a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures that may include at least one tooth prepared
for a dental restoration; analyzing the three-dimensional
representation; generating a feedback signal, the feedback signal
may represent the analysis of the three-dimensional representation;
and outputting the feedback signal to a dentist.
The feedback signal may include a physical dimension, a dimension
of the at least one tooth prior to preparation for the dental
restoration, a contour of the at least one tooth, a clearance
relative to one or more adjacent teeth for a dental restoration
associated with the at least one tooth, or a position of the at
least one tooth. The feedback may include a clearance relative to
one or more teeth in an opposing occluded arch.
A system disclosed herein includes an acquisition means for
acquiring a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures including at least one tooth prepared for a
dental restoration; an analysis means for analyzing the
three-dimensional representation; a means for generating a feedback
signal, the feedback signal representing the analysis of the
three-dimensional representation; and a signal means for providing
the feedback signal to a dentist.
The feedback signal may include a physical dimension, a dimension
of the at least one tooth prior to preparation for the dental
restoration, a contour of the at least one tooth, a clearance
relative to one or more adjacent teeth for a dental restoration
associated with the at least one tooth, or a position of the at
least one tooth. The feedback may include a clearance relative to
one or more teeth in an opposing occluded arch.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes acquiring a
three-dimensional representation from a dental patient including a
digital surface representation of one or more intraoral structures;
and providing a visual display of the three-dimensional
representation in real time. The visual display of the
three-dimensional representation may be superimposed on a real time
two-dimensional video image of the one or more intraoral
structures.
The one or more intraoral structures may include at least one
tooth, at least one tooth surface prepared for a dental
restoration, at least one restored tooth, at least one implant, or
at least one area of soft tissue. The method may include processing
the three-dimensional representation to generate user feedback
concerning the one or more intraoral structures, and may provide a
visual display of the user feedback. The feedback may include
highlighting areas in the three-dimensional representation
requiring additional attention.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more intraoral structures;
processing the one or more images into a three-dimensional
representation including a digital surface representation of the
one or more intraoral structures; and generating a first visual
display signal of the three-dimensional representation in real
time.
The computer program product may include computer code that
performs the step of generating a second visual display signal
wherein the three-dimensional representation is superimposed on a
real time two-dimensional video image of the one or more intraoral
structures. The one or more intraoral structures may include at
least one tooth, at least one tooth surface prepared for a dental
restoration, at least one restored tooth, at least one implant, or
at least one area of soft tissue. The computer program product may
include computer code that performs the steps of: analyzing the
three-dimensional representation; may generate a feedback signal
representative of the analysis of the three-dimensional
representation; generate a third visual display signal including
the feedback signal. The third visual display signal may include
highlighted areas of the three-dimensional representation requiring
additional attention.
A system disclosed herein includes: an acquisition means for
acquiring a three-dimensional representation from a dental patient,
the three-dimensional representation may include a digital surface
representation of one or more intraoral structures; and a display
means for visually displaying the three-dimensional representation
in real time.
The display means may include a means for superimposing the
three-dimensional representation on a real time two-dimensional
video image of the one or more intraoral structures. The one or
more intraoral structures may include at least one tooth, at least
one tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration, at least one
restored tooth, at least one implant, or at least one area of soft
tissue. The system may include: an analysis means for analyzing the
three-dimensional representation; a feedback means for generating a
feedback signal representative of the analysis of the
three-dimensional representation, wherein the display means
includes a means for visually displaying the feedback signal. The
feedback means may include a means for highlighting areas in the
three-dimensional representation requiring additional
attention.
In another aspect, a handheld imaging device for a
three-dimensional imaging system disclosed herein includes: an
elongated body including a first end, a second end, and a central
axis; a video rate three-dimensional scanning device within the
elongated body, the video rate three-dimensional scanning device
may have an optical axis for receiving images, the optical axis
substantially perpendicular to the central axis at a position near
the first end of the elongated body; and the second end adapted for
gripping by a human hand, and the second end may include a user
input responsive to user manipulation to generate control signals
for transmission to a processor associated with the imaging system.
The user input may include a mouse, track ball, button, switch,
mini joystick, touchpad, keypad, or thumb wheel. The control
signals may be transmitted to the processor through a wireless
communication medium. The user input may control a user interface
associated with the imaging system.
A handheld imaging device for a three-dimensional imaging system
disclosed herein includes: an elongated body including a central
axis, a first end, and a second end, the second end adapted for
gripping by a human hand and a central axis; a video rate
three-dimensional scanning device within the elongated body, the
video rate three-dimensional scanning device having an optical axis
for receiving images, the optical axis substantially perpendicular
to the central axis at a position near the first end of the
elongated body; and a physical offset shaped and sized to maintain
a desired distance of the first end from an imaging subject along
the optical axis. The physical offset may include one or more
wheels for slidably engaging a surface of the imaging subject.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes: acquiring a
three-dimensional representation from a dental patient including a
digital surface representation of one or more intraoral structures,
the intraoral structures may include a dental arch; processing the
three-dimensional representation that may provide a digital dental
model including one or more alignment guides to aid in positioning
an orthodontic fixture; and fabricating a physical model from the
digital dental model.
The method may include constructing the orthodontic fixture on the
physical model using the alignment guides. The method may include
constructing a support for the orthodontic fixture on the digital
dental model. The alignment guides may include visual markings. The
alignment guides may include at least one substantially horizontal
shelf for the orthodontic fixture. Processing may include virtually
placing a plurality of orthodontic brackets onto the
three-dimensional representation, and adding a plurality of bracket
supports to the digital dental model to support a physical
realization of the plurality of orthodontic brackets on the
physical model. The method may include fabricating the physical
realization of the plurality of orthodontic brackets, positioning
each one of the plurality of orthodontic brackets onto the physical
model, and vacuum forming an appliance over the plurality of
orthodontic brackets, the appliance maintaining the plurality of
orthodontic brackets in fixed relation to one another. The method
may include applying the appliance with the plurality of
orthodontic brackets to the dental arch. The appliance may be
formed of a soft, clear material. The method may include
transmitting the digital dental model to a remote dental
laboratory. Processing may include virtually placing a plurality of
orthodontic brackets onto the three-dimensional representation in a
bracket arrangement, and generating a digital model of a bracket
guide adapted to position a physical realization of the plurality
of orthodontic brackets in the bracket arrangement on the dental
arch. The method may include three-dimensionally printing the
bracket guide. The physical model may include fabricating the
physical model in an in-house dental laboratory in a dentist's
office.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes: acquiring a
three-dimensional representation from a dental patient including a
digital surface representation of one or more intraoral structures,
the intraoral structures may include a dental arch; adding a
plurality of virtual brackets to the three-dimensional
representation to provide a bracket model; processing the bracket
model to generate a bracket guide model, the bracket guide model
adapted to maintain a physical realization of the plurality of
virtual brackets in a fixed orientation with respect to one
another, the fixed orientation corresponding to a desired
orientation of the physical realization on the dental arch;
fabricating a bracket guide from the bracket guide model; and
attaching the physical realization of the plurality of virtual
brackets to the bracket guide model.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more intraoral structures,
the intraoral structures may include a dental arch; processing the
one or more images into a three-dimensional representation of the
one or more intraoral structures; transforming the
three-dimensional representation into a digital dental model, the
digital dental model including one or more orthodontic fixture
alignment guides; and generating a virtual orthodontic fixture
using the alignment guides.
The computer program product may include code that performs the
step of constructing a support for the virtual orthodontic fixture
on the digital dental model. The alignment guides may include
visual markings. The alignment guides may include at least one
substantially horizontal shelf for the virtual orthodontic fixture.
Transforming may include virtually placing a plurality of
orthodontic brackets onto the dental arch of the three-dimensional
representation, and adding a plurality of bracket supports to the
digital dental model. The computer program product may include code
that performs the step of transmitting the digital dental model to
a remote dental laboratory.
A system disclosed herein includes: an acquisition means for
acquiring a three-dimensional representation from a dental patient
including a digital surface representation of one or more intraoral
structures, the intraoral structures may include a dental arch; a
processing means for processing the three-dimensional
representation that may provide a digital dental model including
one or more alignment guides to aid in positioning an orthodontic
fixture; and a first fabrication means for fabricating a physical
model from the digital dental model.
The system may include a means for constructing the orthodontic
fixture on the physical model using the alignment guides. The
processing means may include a means for constructing a support for
the orthodontic fixture on the digital dental model. The alignment
guides may include visual markings. The alignment guides may
include at least one substantially horizontal shelf for the
orthodontic fixture. The processing means may include a means for
virtually placing a plurality of orthodontic brackets onto the
three-dimensional representation, and adding a plurality of bracket
supports to the digital dental model to support a physical
realization of the plurality of orthodontic brackets on the
physical model. The system may include a second fabrication means
for fabricating the physical realization of the plurality of
orthodontic brackets, a positioning means for positioning each one
of the plurality of orthodontic brackets onto the physical model,
and a forming means for vacuum forming an appliance over the
plurality of orthodontic brackets, the appliance maintaining the
plurality of orthodontic brackets in fixed relation to one another.
The system may include a means for applying the appliance with the
plurality of orthodontic brackets to the dental arch. The appliance
may be formed of a soft, clear material. The system may include a
communication means for transmitting the digital dental model to a
remote dental laboratory. The processing means may include a means
for virtually placing a plurality of orthodontic brackets onto the
three-dimensional representation in a bracket arrangement, and a
model means for generating a digital model of a bracket guide
adapted to position a physical realization of the plurality of
orthodontic brackets in the bracket arrangement on the dental arch.
The system may include a printing means for three-dimensionally
printing the bracket guide. The fabrication means may include a
means for fabricating the physical model in an in-house dental
laboratory in a dentist's office.
A three-dimensional data acquisition system adapted for intraoral
acquisition of dental data from one or more intraoral structures,
as disclosed herein, may include a first operating mode for
capturing scan data and rendering a low-quality three-dimensional
image from the scan data in real time, and a second operating mode
for generating a high-quality three dimensional image from the scan
data after exiting the first operating mode, the high-quality
three-dimensional image may have greater spatial resolution than
the low-quality three-dimensional image.
The system may further including a display that renders the
low-quality three-dimensional image superimposed on a video image
of the one or more intraoral structures. Rendering a low-quality
three-dimensional image may include rendering the low-quality
three-dimensional image at a frame rate of the video image. The
system may include a communications interface for transmitting the
high-quality three-dimensional image to a dental laboratory.
In another aspect, a system disclosed herein includes: a scanning
device configured to intraorally capture surface image data from a
surface within a mouth of a dental patient; a computer coupled to
the scanning device and receiving the surface image data therefrom,
the computer configured to resolve the surface image data into a
three-dimensional representation, the computer may be further
configured to generate a visualization of the three-dimensional
representation and to provide the visualization as a display
signal; and a display coupled to the computer and receiving the
display signal therefrom, the display adapted to convert the
display signal into a viewable image, the display being a
touch-screen display adapted to receive a user input through direct
contact with a surface of the display, wherein the user input is
interpreted by the computer to affect manipulation of the
three-dimensional representation. The user input may affect
rotational orientation of the visualization on the display.
The display may include areas for one or more user controls
accessible through the touch-screen display. The user controls may
include a zoom control, a pan control, or case management controls.
The case management controls may include a control to transmit the
three-dimensional representation to a dental lab, a control to
evaluate quality of the three-dimensional representation, a tool to
edit the three-dimensional representation, or a control to create a
dental prescription.
The user controls may include a control to define a cementation
void, a control to define a margin line, a control to infer a
margin line from the three-dimensional representation, a control to
recess a region of the three-dimensional representation below a
margin line, a control to virtually fit a dental restoration to a
prepared tooth surface, include a virtual dental articulator, or
include a tool to design a dental restoration fitted to the surface
within the mouth of the dental patient.
The three-dimensional model may include two arches; the display may
include an area for one or more user controls accessible through
the touch-screen display to permit positioning the two arches
within a virtual articulator. The system may include a user
interface displayed on the display and controlled by the computer.
The user interface may be accessible through the touch-screen.
A system disclosed herein includes: a digital dental impression
that may include three-dimensional digital surface data for one or
more intraoral structures, the digital dental impression may be
captured using a three-dimensional intraoral scanning device and
stored in a computer readable medium; a first computer may be
configured to render the digital dental impression from a point of
view; and a second computer at a remote location may be configure
to simultaneously render the digital dental impression from the
point of view.
The system may include a control for passing control of the point
of view between the first computer and the second computer. The
system may include the first computer and the second computer
including a collaborative tool for manipulating the model, for
sectioning the model, or for rearranging one or more sections of
the model. The system may include the first computer and the second
computer including a collaborative cursor control tool. The system
may include the first computer and the second computer connected by
a communication channel. The communication channel may include one
or more of VoIP, IRC, video conferencing, or instant messaging. The
second computer may be operated by a consulting dentist, a dental
technician, in a dental laboratory, or by an oral surgeon. The
second computer may be operated by a dental specialist including
one or more of a periodontist, a prosthodontist, a pedodontist, an
orthodontic specialist, an oral and maxillofacial surgery
specialist, an oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist, an
endodontist, and an oral and maxillofacial pathologist.
A method disclosed herein includes: seating a dental patient in a
clinical office; acquiring a digital dental impression that may
include three-dimensional digital surface data for one or more
intraoral structures from an intraoral scan of the dental patient;
transmitting the digital dental impression to a dental laboratory
before the patient leaves the office; receiving an evaluation of
the digital dental impression from the dental laboratory before the
patient leaves the office; and if the evaluation is unfavorable,
repeating the step of acquiring the digital dental impression.
If the evaluation includes an identification of at least one region
of the one or more intraoral structures requiring additional
preparation, the method may include preparing the one or more
intraoral structures according to the evaluation. The evaluation
may include an evaluation of surface continuity, an evaluation of
data density, or an evaluation of feature detail. The one or more
intraoral structures may include a tooth surface prepared for a
dental restoration. The digital dental impression may include a
case plan for the restoration. The case plan may include a type of
restoration, a design of restoration, or a list of restoration
components. The list of restoration components may include a full
ceramic component. The list of restoration components may include a
PFM component. The case plan may include a specification of one or
more restoration materials.
A system disclosed herein includes: a means for acquiring a digital
dental impression, the digital dental impression may include
three-dimensional digital surface data for one or more intraoral
structures from an intraoral scan of a dental patient seated in a
clinical office; a request means for transmitting the digital
dental impression to a dental laboratory before the patient leaves
the office; an evaluation means for determining if the digital
dental impression must be reacquired before the patient leaves the
office; and a response means for transmitting the determination to
the clinical office.
The evaluation means may include a means for evaluating surface
continuity, a means for evaluating data density, or a means for
evaluating feature detail. The one or more intraoral structures may
include a tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration. The
digital dental impression may include a case plan for the
restoration, a type of restoration, a design of restoration, or a
list of restoration components. The list of restoration components
may include a full ceramic component. The list of restoration
components may include a PFM component. The case plan may include a
specification of one or more restoration materials.
A system disclosed herein includes: a scanning device for real time
capture of three-dimensional surface data; a monitor that may
render the three-dimensional surface data in real time; a processor
that may be configure to evaluate quality of the three-dimensional
surface data, and may generate a signal representative of a data
quality during a scan; and a feedback device that may be responsive
to the signal to produce a user alert concerning the data quality
when the data quality degrades below a predetermined threshold.
The scanning device may resolve the three-dimensional surface data
from a plurality of two-dimensional image sets, and wherein the
evaluation of quality may include evaluation of ability to
determine spatial relationships from the plurality of
two-dimensional image sets. The evaluation of quality may include
evaluation of point cloud density. The evaluation of quality may
include evaluation of scanning device motion. The feedback device
may include an LED, a speaker, a buzzer, a vibrator, or a wand. The
feedback device may be positioned on the wand. The feedback device
may be further responsive to the signal to produce a second user
alert when the data quality is within an acceptable range.
In another aspect, a method disclosed in herein may include:
scheduling a preparation visit for a dental restoration for a
patient; obtaining a digital surface representation of one or more
intraoral structures of the patient, this may include at least one
tooth associated with the dental restoration; and fabricating a
temporary restoration based upon the digital surface
representation.
Fabricating a temporary restoration may include transmitting the
digital surface representation to a dental laboratory. Fabricating
a temporary restoration may include applying the digital surface
representation to prepare a design for the temporary restoration
and transmitting the design to a dental laboratory. The method may
include three-dimensionally printing the temporary restoration. The
method may include three-dimensionally printing the temporary
restoration at a dentist's office where the preparation visit is
scheduled. The method may include milling the temporary
restoration. The method may include milling the temporary
restoration at a dental office where the preparation visit is
scheduled. Obtaining a digital surface representation may include
three-dimensionally scanning the one or more intraoral structures
on a day of the preparation visit. Obtaining a digital surface
representation may include retrieving the digital surface
representation from prior dental data for the patient. Fabricating
the temporary restoration may include fabricating the temporary
restoration prior to the preparation visit, the temporary
restoration may include one or more characteristics of the at least
one tooth. The method may include, on the day of the preparation
visit, adapting a surface of the at least one tooth to receive the
temporary restoration. The method may include, on the day of the
preparation visit, adapting the temporary restoration to fit a
prepared surface of the at least one tooth. The step of fabricating
may be performed at an in-house dental laboratory at a dentist's
office.
A method disclosed herein includes: acquiring a digital dental
impression including three-dimensional digital surface data for one
or more intraoral structures, the intraoral structures may include
at least one tooth surface prepared for a dental restoration; and
acquiring additional three-dimensional data with greater spatial
resolution around the at least one tooth surface prepared for the
dental restoration.
The acquiring additional three-dimensional data may include
acquiring additional data from the at least one tooth surface,
post-processing source data for the digital dental impression, or
post-processing the three-dimensional digital surface data.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, may perform the steps of:
acquiring one or more images of one or more intraoral structures,
the intraoral structures may include at least one tooth surface
prepared for a dental restoration; and generating a digital dental
impression that may include three-dimensional digital surface data
from the one or more images.
The computer program product may include code that performs the
step of post-processing source data for the digital dental
impression to generate additional three-dimensional data with
greater spatial resolution. The computer program product may
include code that performs the step of post-processing the
three-dimensional digital surface data to generate additional
three-dimensional data with greater spatial resolution.
A system disclosed herein includes: a first means for acquiring a
digital dental impression that may include three-dimensional
digital surface data for one or more intraoral structures, the
intraoral structures may include at least one tooth surface
prepared for a dental restoration; and a second means for acquiring
additional three-dimensional data with greater spatial resolution
around the at least one tooth surface prepared for the dental
restoration.
The second means may include a means for acquiring additional data
from the at least one tooth surface, a means for post-processing
source data for the digital dental impression, or a means for
post-processing the three-dimensional digital surface data.
A method disclosed herein includes: acquiring a digital surface
representation for one or more intraoral structures, the intraoral
structures may include at least one tooth surface prepared for a
dental restoration; fabricating a kit from the digital surface
representation, the kit may include two or more components suitable
for use in fabrication of the dental restoration; and sending the
kit to a dental laboratory for fabrication of the dental
restoration. The kit may include one or more of a die, a quad
model, an opposing quad model, an opposing model, a base, a
pre-articulated base, and a waxup.
The method may include transmitting the digital surface
representation to a production facility. The step of fabricating
may be performed at the production facility. The kit may include
one or more components selected from the group of pre-cut
components, pre-indexed components, and pre-articulated components.
The step of fabricating may be performed at a dentist's office.
An artificial dental object disclosed herein includes an exposed
surface, the exposed surface finished with a texture to enhance
acquisition of three dimensional image data from the exposed
surface with a multi-aperture three-dimensional scanning device.
The texture may include pseudo-random three-dimensional noise.
The artificial dental object may include an impression coping, a
fixture, a healing abutment, or a temporary impression coping. The
artificial dental object may include a dental prosthesis, a dental
restoration, a dental appliance, or an item of dental hardware.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes acquiring a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures, the intraoral structures including at least one
intraoral surface suitable for an artificial dental object;
transmitting the three-dimensional representation to a dental
insurer; and receiving authorization from the dental insurer to
perform a dental procedure including the artificial dental
object.
The artificial dental object may include one or more of an implant,
a crown, an impression coping, a bridge, a fixture, and an
abutment. The intraoral surface may include at least one edentulous
space. The intraoral surface may include at least one tooth
surface.
A computer program product disclosed herein may include code that,
when executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps
of: acquiring a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures, the intraoral structures including at least
one intraoral surface suitable for an artificial dental object;
transmitting the three-dimensional representation to a dental
insurer; and receiving authorization from the dental insurer to
perform a dental procedure including the artificial dental
object.
The artificial dental object may include one or more of an implant,
a crown, an impression coping, a fixture, a bridge, and an
abutment. The intraoral surface may include at least one edentulous
space. The intraoral surface may include at least one tooth
surface.
A system disclosed herein includes a means for acquiring a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures, the intraoral structures including at least one
intraoral surface suitable for an artificial dental object; a first
communication means for transmitting the three-dimensional
representation to a dental insurer; and a second communication
means for receiving authorization from the dental insurer to
perform a dental procedure including the artificial dental
object.
The artificial dental object may include one or more of an implant,
a crown, an impression coping, a fixture, a bridge and an abutment.
The at least one intraoral surface may include an edentulous space.
The at least one intraoral surface includes a tooth surface.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes acquiring a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures, the intraoral structures including at least one
intraoral surface related to a dental procedure; and transmitting
the three-dimensional representation to a dental insurer as a
record of the dental procedure.
The dental procedure may relate to one or more of an implant, a
crown, an impression coping, a fixture, a bridge, and an abutment.
The method may include receiving a payment from the insurer for a
procedure involving the artificial dental object. The intraoral
surface may include an edentulous space. The intraoral surface may
include a tooth surface prepared for an artificial dental object.
The intraoral surface may include a restored tooth.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, performs the steps of:
acquiring a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures, the intraoral structures including at one
intraoral surface related to a dental procedure; and transmitting
the three-dimensional representation to a dental insurer as a
record of the dental procedure.
The dental procedure may relate to one or more of an implant, a
crown, an impression coping, a bridge, and an abutment. The code
may further include code that performs the step of receiving a
record of payment from the insurer for the dental procedure. The
intraoral surface may include an edentulous space. The intraoral
surface may include a tooth surface prepared for an artificial
dental object. The intraoral surface may include a restored
tooth.
A system disclosed herein may include a means for acquiring a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures, the intraoral structures including at least one
intraoral surface related to a dental procedure; and a
communication means for transmitting the three-dimensional
representation to a dental insurer as a record of the dental
procedure.
The dental procedure may to one or more of an implant, a crown, an
impression coping, a bridge, and an abutment. The communication
means may include a means for receiving a payment from the insurer
for the dental procedure.
In another aspect, a method disclosed herein includes receiving a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures from a dentist; receiving a proposed dental procedure
from the dentist; determining whether the proposed dental procedure
is appropriate for the one or more intraoral structures; and
transmitting a reply to the dentist. The reply may include an
approval to perform the dental procedure. The reply may include a
denial to perform the dental procedure. The method may include
authorizing payment for the dental procedure.
A computer program product disclosed herein includes computer
executable code embodied in a computer readable medium that, when
executed on one or more computer devices, may perform the steps of:
receiving a three-dimensional representation of one or more
intraoral structures from a dentist; receiving a proposed dental
procedure from the dentist; comparing the proposed dental procedure
to a predetermined list of appropriate procedures for the one or
more intraoral structures; and transmitting a reply to the dentist.
The reply may include an approval to perform the dental procedure.
The reply may include a denial to perform the dental procedure. The
computer program product may include computer code that performs
the step of authorizing payment for the dental procedure.
A system disclosed herein includes: a first means for receiving a
three-dimensional representation of one or more intraoral
structures from a dentist; a second means for receiving a proposed
dental procedure from the dentist; an evaluation means for
determining whether the proposed dental procedure is appropriate
for the one or more intraoral structures; and a reply means for
transmitting a reply to the dentist. The reply may include an
approval to perform the dental procedure. The reply may include a
denial to perform the dental procedure. The system may include a
means for authorizing payment for the dental procedure.
A system disclosed herein includes: a dental data repository
coupled to a communications network, the dental data repository may
be adapted to receive dental data including three-dimensional
representations of intraoral structures and prescriptions for
dental procedures from a plurality of dentists.
The dental data repository may be adapted to transmit prescriptions
and three-dimensional representations to a plurality of dental
laboratories. The at least one of the prescriptions may identify a
specific one of the plurality of dental laboratories. The dental
data repository may be further adapted to communicate with one or
more dental insurers for authorization of dental procedures. The
dental data repository may be further adapted to communicate with
one or more dental insurers to coordinate payment for dental
procedures. The system may include a dental laboratory interface
for the plurality of dental laboratories to provide status on work
in progress. The system may include a dental laboratory interface
for the plurality of dental laboratories to receive work
assignments. The system may include a dentist interface for the
plurality of dentists to monitor work in progress. The system may
include a dentist interface for the plurality of dentists to submit
prescriptions and three-dimensional representations. The system may
include a transaction engine for transmitting payments among two or
more of one of the plurality of dentists, one of the plurality of
dental laboratories, and one of the one or more dental insurers.
The system may include a collaboration interface for two or more of
the plurality of dentists to collaborate on a dental matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The invention and the following detailed description of certain
embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the following
figures.
FIG. 1 shows a dental image capture system.
FIG. 2 shows entities participating in a digital dentistry
network.
FIG. 3 shows a user interface that may be used in a digital dental
system.
FIG. 4 depicts a quality control procedure for use in a digital
dental system.
FIG. 5 shows a dental laboratory procedure using a digital dental
model.
FIG. 6 illustrates a scan path that may be used with a
three-dimensional image capture system.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show a modeling environment for creating alignment
guides for orthodontic hardware.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Described are a wide array of systems and methods for digital
dentistry. However, it will be appreciated that the inventive
concepts disclosed herein are not limited to the specific
embodiments disclosed. For example, the general techniques
disclosed herein may be usefully employed in any environment where
precise, three-dimensional data might be usefully captured and
processed, including orthopedics, digital animation, and customized
manufacturing. In addition, while numerous variations and
implementations of digital dentistry techniques are described, it
will be appreciated that other combinations of the specific
scanning, processing, and manufacturing techniques described herein
may be used, and that such variations are intended to fall within
the scope of this disclosure.
In the following description, the term "image" generally refers to
a two-dimensional set of pixels forming a two-dimensional view of a
subject within an image plane. The term "image set" generally
refers to a set of related two dimensional images that might be
resolved into three-dimensional data. The term "point cloud"
generally refers to a three-dimensional set of points forming a
three-dimensional view of the subject reconstructed from a number
of two-dimensional views. In a three-dimensional image capture
system, a number of such point clouds may also be registered and
combined into an aggregate point cloud constructed from images
captured by a moving camera. Thus it will be understood that pixels
generally refer to two-dimensional data and points generally refer
to three-dimensional data, unless another meaning is specifically
indicated or clear from the context.
The terms "three-dimensional surface representation", "digital
surface representation", "three-dimensional surface map", and the
like, as used herein, are intended to refer to any
three-dimensional surface map of an object, such as a point cloud
of surface data, a set of two-dimensional polygons, or any other
data representing all or some of the surface of an object, as might
be obtained through the capture and/or processing of
three-dimensional scan data, unless a different meaning is
explicitly provided or otherwise clear from the context.
A "three-dimensional representation" may include any of the
three-dimensional surface representations described above, as well
as volumetric and other representations, unless a different meaning
is explicitly provided or otherwise clear from the context.
In general, the terms "render" or "rendering" refer to a
two-dimensional visualization of a three-dimensional object, such
as for display on a monitor. However, it will be understood that
three-dimensional rendering technologies exist, and may be usefully
employed with the systems and methods disclosed herein. As such,
rendering should be interpreted broadly unless a narrower meaning
is explicitly provided or otherwise clear from the context.
The term "dental object", as used herein, is intended to refer
broadly to subject matter specific to dentistry. This may include
intraoral structures such as dentition, and more typically human
dentition, such as individual teeth, quadrants, full arches, pairs
of arches which may be separate or in occlusion of various types,
soft tissue (e.g., gingival and mucosal surfaces of the mouth, or
perioral structures such as the lips, nose, cheeks, and chin), and
the like, as well bones and any other supporting or surrounding
structures. As used herein, the term "intraoral structures" refers
to both natural structures within a mouth as described above and
artificial structures such as any of the dental objects described
below. While the design and fabrication of artificial dental
structures is the subject of much of the following discussion, it
will be understood that any of these artificial structures might be
present in the mouth during a scan, either as a result of prior
dental work (e.g., a previously restored tooth) or during an
evaluation of fit and other aspects of a current procedure. Dental
objects may include "restorations", which may be generally
understood to include components that restore the structure or
function of existing dentition, such as crowns, bridges, veneers,
inlays, onlays, amalgams, composites, and various substructures
such as copings and the like, as well as temporary restorations for
use while a permanent restoration is being fabricated. Dental
objects may also include a "prosthesis" that replaces dentition
with removable or permanent structures, such as dentures, partial
dentures, implants, retained dentures, and the like. Dental objects
may also include "appliances" used to correct, align, or otherwise
temporarily or permanently adjust dentition, such as removable
orthodontic appliances, surgical stents, bruxism appliances, snore
guards, indirect bracket placement appliances, and the like. Dental
objects may also include "hardware" affixed to dentition for an
extended period, such as implant fixtures, implant abutments,
orthodontic brackets, and other orthodontic components. Dental
objects may also include "interim components" of dental manufacture
such as dental models (full and/or partial), wax-ups, investment
molds, and the like, as well as trays, bases, dies, and other
components employed in the fabrication of restorations, prostheses,
and the like. As suggested above, dental objects may also be
categorized as natural dental objects such as the teeth, bone, and
other intraoral structures described above or as artificial dental
objects such as the restorations, prostheses, appliances, hardware,
and interim components of dental manufacture as described above. It
will be understood that any of the foregoing, whether natural or
artificial, may be an intraoral structure when present within the
mouth. Thus, for example, a previous restoration or an implant for
a crown might be present within the mouth, and may be an intraoral
structure scanned during an intraoral scan.
Terms such as "digital dental model", "digital dental impression"
and the like, are intended to refer to three-dimensional
representations of dental objects that may be used in various
aspects of acquisition, analysis, prescription, and manufacture,
unless a different meaning is otherwise provided or clear from the
context. Terms such as "dental model" or "dental impression" are
intended to refer to a physical model, such as a cast, printed, or
otherwise fabricated physical instance of a dental object. Unless
specified, the term "model", when used alone, may refer to either
or both of a physical model and a digital model.
FIG. 1 shows an image capture system. In general, the system 100
may include a scanner 102 that captures images from a surface 106
of a subject 104, such as a dental patient, and forwards the images
to a computer 108, which may include a display 110 and one or more
user input devices such as a mouse 112 or a keyboard 114. The
scanner 102 may also include an input or output device 116 such as
a control input (e.g., button, touchpad, thumbwheel, etc.) or a
status indicator (e.g., LCD or LED display or light, a buzzer, or
the like) to provide status information.
The scanner 102 may include any camera or camera system suitable
for capturing images from which a three-dimensional point cloud may
be recovered. For example, the scanner 102 may employ a
multi-aperture system as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Pub.
No. 20040155975 to Hart et al., the entire contents of which is
incorporated herein by reference. While Hart discloses one
multi-aperture system, it will be appreciated that any
multi-aperture system suitable for reconstructing a
three-dimensional point cloud from a number of two-dimensional
images may similarly be employed. In one multi-aperture embodiment,
the scanner 102 may include a plurality of apertures including a
center aperture positioned along a center optical axis of a lens
and any associated imaging hardware. The scanner 102 may also, or
instead, include a stereoscopic, triscopic or other multi-camera or
other configuration in which a number of cameras or optical paths
are maintained in fixed relation to one another to obtain
two-dimensional images of an object from a number of slightly
different perspectives. The scanner 102 may include suitable
processing for deriving a three-dimensional point cloud from an
image set or a number of image sets, or each two-dimensional image
set may be transmitted to an external processor such as contained
in the computer 108 described below. In other embodiments, the
scanner 102 may employ structured light, laser scanning, direct
ranging, or any other technology suitable for acquiring
three-dimensional data, or two-dimensional data that can be
resolved into three-dimensional data.
In one embodiment, a second scanner such as a PMD[vision] camera
from PMD Technologies, may be employed to capture real-time,
three-dimensional data on dynamic articulation and occlusion. While
this scanner employs different imaging technology (time-of-flight
detection from an array of LEDs) than described above, and produces
results with resolution generally unsuitable for reconstruction of
dental models, such a scanner may be employed to infer motion of,
e.g., opposing dental arches with sufficient resolution to select
an axis for articulation or otherwise capture dynamic information
that can be applied to two or more rigid bodies of a dental object
scan. This data may be supplemented with more precise alignment
data statically captured from digital or manual bite registration
to provide reference or calibration points for continuous, dynamic
motion data.
In one embodiment, the scanner 102 is a handheld, freely
positionable probe having at least one user input device 116, such
as a button, lever, dial, thumb wheel, switch, track ball, mini
joystick, touchpad, keypad, or the like, for user control of the
image capture system 100 such as starting and stopping scans, or
interacting with a user interface on the display 110. In an
embodiment, the scanner 102 may be shaped and sized for dental
scanning. More particularly, the scanner 102 may be shaped and
sized for intraoral scanning and data capture, such as by insertion
into a mouth of an imaging subject and passing over an intraoral
surface 106 at a suitable distance to acquire surface data from
teeth, gums, and so forth. This may include a shape resembling an
electric toothbrush or a dental tool, and including an elongated
body with an optical port on one end that receives scan data, and
user controls on (or near) the other end.
A physical offset may be provided for the optical port that
physically maintains an appropriate distance from scanning subject
matter. More particularly, the physical offset may prevent the
optical port from getting too near the scanned subject matter,
which permits a user to maintain proper distance through a steady
application of pressure toward the subject matter. The physical
offset may be adapted for particular subject matter and may include
a simple rod or other rigid form extending toward the optical path
of the scanner, or the physical offset may include contoured forms
for mating with more complex surfaces. The physical offset may
include wheels or plates for slidably engaging a surface of scanned
subject matter, or other structures or surface treatments to
improve operation in various applications.
The scanner 102 may, through a continuous acquisition process,
capture a point cloud of surface data having sufficient spatial
resolution and accuracy to prepare dental objects such as
restorations, hardware, appliances, and the like therefrom, either
directly or through a variety of intermediate processing steps. In
other embodiments, surface data may be acquired from a dental model
such as a dental restoration, to ensure proper fitting using a
previous scan of corresponding dentition, such as a tooth surface
prepared for the restoration.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that a number
of supplemental lighting systems may be usefully employed during
image capture. For example, environmental illumination may be
enhanced with one or more spotlights illuminating the subject 104
to speed image acquisition and improve depth of field (or spatial
resolution depth). The scanner 102 may also, or instead, include a
strobe, flash, or other light source to supplement illumination of
the subject 104 during image acquisition.
The subject 104 may be any object, collection of objects, portion
of an object, or other subject matter. More particularly with
respect to the dental fabrication techniques discussed herein, the
object 104 may include human dentition captured intraorally from a
dental patient's mouth. A scan may capture a three-dimensional
representation of some or all of the dentition according to
particular purpose of the scan. Thus the scan may capture a digital
model of a tooth, a quadrant of teeth, or a full collection of
teeth including two opposing arches, as well as soft tissue or any
other relevant intraoral and/or extraoral structures. In other
embodiments where, for example, a completed fabrication is being
virtually test fit to a surface preparation, the scan may include a
dental restoration such as an inlay or a crown, or any other
artificial dental object. The subject 104 may also, or instead,
include a dental model, such as a plaster cast, wax-up, impression,
or negative impression of a tooth, teeth, soft tissue, or some
combination of these.
Although not depicted, it will be understood that the scanner 102
may have a two-dimensional field of view or image plane where
optical data is acquired. It will be appreciated that the term
"image plane" as used in this paragraph, refers to a plane in the
imaging environment rather than a plane within an optical sensor
(such as film or sensors) where an image is captured. The image
plane may form any number of two-dimensional shapes according to
the construction of the scanner 102, such as a rectangle, a square,
a circle, or any other two-dimensional geometry. In general, the
scanner 102 will have a depth of field or range of depth resolution
for image acquisition within the image plane determined by the
physical construction of the scanner 102 and environmental
conditions such as ambient light.
The computer 108 may be, for example, a personal computer or other
processing device. In one embodiment, the computer 108 includes a
personal computer with a dual 2.8 GHz Opteron central processing
unit, 2 gigabytes of random access memory, a TYAN Thunder K8WE
motherboard, and a 250 gigabyte, 10,000 rpm hard drive. This system
may be operated to capture approximately 1,500 points per image set
in real time using the techniques described herein, and store an
aggregated point cloud of over one million points. As used herein,
the term "real time" means generally with no observable latency
between processing and display. In a video-based scanning system,
real time more specifically refers to processing within the time
between frames of video data, which typically vary according to
specific video technologies between about fifteen frames per second
and about thirty frames per second. However, it will also be
understood that terms such as "video" or "video rate" imply a wide
range of possible frame rates associated with such video. While
most modern video formats employ a frame rate of 25 to 30 frames
per second, early video employed frame rates as low as 8 frames per
second, and movies of the early 1900's varied from 12 to 18 frames
per second. In addition, it is common for specialized imaging
equipment to employ a rate adapted to the computational demands of
particular imaging and rendering techniques, and some video systems
operate with frame rates anywhere from 4 frames per second (for
computationally extensive imaging systems) to 100 frames per second
or higher (for high-speed video systems). As used herein, the terms
video rate and frame rate should be interpreted broadly.
Notwithstanding this broad meaning, it is noted that useful and
visually pleasing three-dimensional imaging systems may be
constructed as described herein with frame rates of at least ten
frames per second, frame rates of at least twenty frames per
second, and frame rates between 25 and 30 frames per second.
More generally, processing capabilities of the computer 108 may
vary according to the size of the subject 104, the speed of image
acquisition, and the desired spatial resolution of
three-dimensional points. The computer 108 may also include
peripheral devices such as a keyboard 114, display 110, and mouse
112 for user interaction with the camera system 100. The display
110 may be a touch screen display capable of receiving user input
through direct, physical interaction with the display 110.
Communications between the computer 108 and the scanner 102 may use
any suitable communications link including, for example, a wired
connection or a wireless connection based upon, for example, IEEE
802.11 (also known as wireless Ethernet), BlueTooth, or any other
suitable wireless standard using, e.g., a radio frequency,
infrared, or other wireless communication medium. In medical
imaging or other sensitive applications, wireless image
transmission from the scanner 102 to the computer 108 may be
secured. The computer 108 may generate control signals to the
scanner 102 which, in addition to image acquisition commands, may
include conventional camera controls such as focus or zoom. In
addition, the computer 108 may include a network communications
interface for connecting to a network such as the dental network
described below.
In an example of general operation of a three-dimensional image
capture system 100, the scanner 102 may acquire two-dimensional
image sets at a video rate while the scanner 102 is passed over a
surface of the subject. The two-dimensional image sets may be
forwarded to the computer 108 for derivation of three-dimensional
point clouds. The three-dimensional data for each newly acquired
two-dimensional image set may be derived and fitted or "stitched"
to existing three-dimensional data using a number of different
techniques. Such a system employs camera motion estimation to avoid
the need for independent tracking of the position of the scanner
102. One useful example of such a technique is described in
commonly-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 11/270,135, filed on Nov.
9, 2005, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by
reference. However, it will be appreciated that this example is not
limiting, and that the principles described herein may be applied
to a wide range of three-dimensional image capture systems.
The display 110 may include any display suitable for video or other
rate rendering at a level of detail corresponding to the acquired
data. Suitable displays include cathode ray tube displays, liquid
crystal displays, light emitting diode displays and the like. In
addition, where three-dimensional visualization is desired, the
display 110 may include a three-dimensional display using a wide
variety of techniques including stereo pair imaging, holographic
imaging, and multiplanar or volumetric imaging, each with a number
of rendering modalities that may be usefully employed with the
systems described herein.
In some embodiments, the display may include a touch screen
interface using, for example capacitive, resistive, or surface
acoustic wave (also referred to as dispersive signal) touch screen
technologies, or any other suitable technology for sensing physical
interaction with the display 110.
The touch screen may be usefully employed in a dental office or
other context to provide keyboardless processing and manipulation
of scanning and any resulting three-dimensional representations.
For example, the touch screen may be employed to permit user
manipulation of a displayed model, such as panning, zooming, and
rotating, through direct physical interaction with the displayed
model and any corresponding controls within a user interface. For
example, a user may touch a "rotate" button on the display 110,
after which placing a finger on the screen and dragging may cause
three-dimensional rotation of the displayed model around a
corresponding axis (typically perpendicular to the direction of
finger motion).
The touch screen may also provide tools for manipulating the
digital model. For example, a user may define or specify a
cementation void or die spacer. A user may define, edit, or
annotate a margin line, such as a computer-generated margin line. A
user may define a die and/or ditch a die by recessing one or more
regions below the margin line. A user may place arches of a digital
dental model into a virtual articulator and articulate the arches.
The touch screen may provide one or more tools for virtually
designing a dental restoration fitted to a dental model, including
fitting to a prepared surface, adjacent teeth, and/or teeth of an
opposing arch.
The touch screen may also provide case management controls
providing functions such as transmitting a digital model to a
dental laboratory, evaluating quality of a digital model or
performing other quality control functions as described below, or
creating a dental prescription as described, for example, below
with reference to FIG. 3.
The image capture system 100 may generally be adapted for real time
acquisition and display, e.g., at a video rate, of
three-dimensional data, which may be rendered, for example, as a
point cloud superimposed on a video image from the scanner 102. For
certain types of data acquisition, there may be a significant
difference in the processing time required for resolution of a
three-dimensional image adequate for two-dimensional perspective
rendering (faster) and maximum or optimum resolution that might be
achieved with post-processing. In such circumstances, the image
capture system 100 may include two different operating modes. In a
first operating mode, a relatively low-quality three-dimensional
representation may be obtained and rendered in real time, such as
within the display 110. In a second operating mode, a relatively
high-quality three-dimensional representation may be generated for
the source scan data using any desired degree of processing. The
second operating mode may recover, through additional
post-processing steps, three-dimensional data having greater
spatial resolution and/or accuracy. It will be understood that,
while two different modes are described, it is not required that
the two modes be mutually exclusive. For example, both modes may
execute simultaneously on a computer as separate processes or
threads, or the data from the first operating mode may be employed
to seed the second operating mode with a model for refinement for
post-processing. All such variations as would be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art may be employed with the systems
described herein. Either the high-quality representation or the
low-quality representation, or both, may be transmitted to a dental
laboratory for subsequent steps such as quality control and model
fabrication, examples of which are provided below.
In another aspect, the system 100 may provide different levels of
accuracy or spatial resolution, each associated with, for example,
different degrees of post-processing, computing power, or rate of
movement by the scanner 102 over a subject 104. Thus, for example,
an entire dental arch may be scanned at a relatively low accuracy,
while a surface preparation or other area of diagnostic or
treatment significance may be scanned at a relatively higher
accuracy which may, for example, require a slower scanning motion
or additional post-processing delays. Similarly, certain areas such
as the surface preparation may be designated for supplemental
post-processing to achieve enhanced accuracy or spatial
resolution.
The input or output device 116 may include a feedback device that
provides warnings or indicators to an operator of the image capture
system 100 with respect to scan quality or progress. The device 116
may include, for example, a buzzer, speaker, light emitting diode,
an incandescent light, or any other acoustic, haptic, tactile, or
visual signal to notify the operator of an event without requiring
the operator to look at the display 110. For example, data quality
may be continuously monitored by the system 100, and an alert may
be generated when the data quality drops below a quantitative
threshold, or data acquisition is lost completely (or different
alerts may be provided for each of these events). The evaluation of
data quality may depend, for example, on an ability of the system
100 to fit a new data set to existing three-dimensional data, or
the ability to resolve two-dimensional image sets into
three-dimensional data, or the density of acquired data, or any
other objective criterion, either alone or in combination. The
evaluation of data quality may also, or instead, be inferred from
other parameters such as motion of the scanner 102 or distance from
the subject 104. It will be understood that while a data quality
indicator may be positioned on the scanner 102 as shown, the device
116 may also, or instead, be positioned at any other location
suitable for alerting an operator, which may depend on the type of
alert generated (i.e., a visual alert may have different
positioning parameters than an audio alert or a tactile alert). In
another aspect, the input or output device 116 may provide feedback
when data quality is within an acceptable range. In another aspect,
the input our output device 116 may provide both positive feedback
(good data quality) and negative feedback (poor data quality) so
that continuous feedback is available to the operator concerning an
ongoing scan.
FIG. 2 shows entities participating in a digital dentistry network.
As depicted, a network 200 may include a plurality of clients 202
and servers 204 connected via an internetwork 210. Any number of
clients 202 and servers 204 may participate in such a system 200.
The network 200 may include one or more local area networks
("LANs") 212 interconnecting clients 202 through a hub 214 (in, for
example, a peer network such as a wired or wireless Ethernet
network) or a local area network server 214 (in, for example, a
client-server network). The LAN 212 may be connected to the
internetwork 210 through a gateway 216, which provides security to
the LAN 212 and ensures operating compatibility between the LAN 212
and the internetwork 210. Any data network may be used as the
internetwork 210 and the LAN 212.
The internetwork 210 may include, for example, the Internet, with
the World Wide Web providing a system for interconnecting clients
202 and servers 204 in a communicating relationship through the
internetwork 210. The internetwork 210 may also, or instead,
include a cable network, a satellite network, the Public Switched
Telephone Network, a WiFi network, a WiMax network, cellular
networks, and any other public, private, and/or dedicated networks,
either alone or combination, that might be used to interconnect
devices for communications and transfer of data.
An exemplary client 202 may include a processor, a memory (e.g.
RAM), a bus which couples the processor and the memory, a mass
storage device (e.g. a magnetic hard disk or an optical storage
disk) coupled to the processor and the memory through an I/O
controller, and a network interface coupled to the processor and
the memory, such as modem, digital subscriber line ("DSL") card,
cable modem, network interface card, wireless network card, or
other interface device capable of wired, fiber optic, or wireless
data communications. One example of such a client 202 is a personal
computer equipped with an operating system such as Microsoft
Windows XP, UNIX, or Linux, along with software support for
Internet and other communication protocols. The personal computer
may also include a browser program, such as Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Netscape Navigator, or FireFox to provide a user
interface for access to the internetwork 210. Although the personal
computer is a typical client 202, the client 202 may also be a
workstation, mobile computer, Web phone, VoIP device, television
set-top box, interactive kiosk, personal digital assistant,
wireless electronic mail device, or other device capable of
communicating over the Internet. As used herein, the term "client"
is intended to refer to any of the above-described clients 202 or
other client devices, and the term "browser" is intended to refer
to any of the above browser programs or other software or firmware
providing a user interface for navigating through an internetwork
210 such as the Internet. The client 202 may also include various
communications capabilities such as instant messaging, electronic
mail, syndication (such as RSS 2.0), Web-based conferencing,
Web-based application sharing, Web-based videoconferencing, Voice
over IP ("VoIP"), and any other standards-based, proprietary, or
other communication technologies, either in hardware, software, or
a combination of these, to enable communications with other clients
202 through the internetwork 210.
An exemplary server 204 includes a processor, a memory (e.g. RAM),
a bus which couples the processor and the memory, a mass storage
device (e.g. a magnetic or optical disk) coupled to the processor
and the memory through an I/O controller, and a network interface
coupled to the processor and the memory. Servers may be clustered
together to handle more client traffic, and may include separate
servers for different functions such as a database server, an
application server, and a Web presentation server. Such servers may
further include one or more mass storage devices 206 such as a disk
farm or a redundant array of independent disk ("RAID") system for
additional storage and data integrity. Read-only devices, such as
compact disk drives and digital versatile disk drives, tape drives,
and the like may also be connected to the servers. Suitable servers
and mass storage devices are manufactured by, for example, IBM, and
Sun Microsystems. Generally, a server 204 may operate as a source
of content, a hub for interactions among various clients, and
platform for any back-end processing, while a client 202 is a
participant in the dental activities supported by the digital
dentistry systems described herein. However, it should be
appreciated that many of the devices described above may be
configured to respond to remote requests, thus operating as a
server, and the devices described as servers 204 may participate as
a client in various digital dentistry applications.
Focusing now on the internetwork 210, one embodiment is the
Internet. The structure of the Internet 210 is well known to those
of ordinary skill in the art and includes a network backbone with
networks branching from the backbone. These branches, in turn, have
networks branching from them, and so on. The backbone and branches
are connected by routers, bridges, switches, and other switching
elements that operate to direct data through the internetwork 210.
For a more detailed description of the structure and operation of
the Internet 210, one may refer to "The Internet Complete
Reference," by Harley Hahn and Rick Stout, published by
McGraw-Hill, 1994. However, one may practice the present invention
on a wide variety of communication networks. For example, the
internetwork 210 can include interactive television networks,
telephone networks, wireless voice or data transmission systems,
two-way cable systems, customized computer networks, Asynchronous
Transfer Mode networks, and so on. Clients 202 may access the
internetwork 210 through an Internet Service Provider ("ISP", not
shown) or through a dedicated DSL service, ISDN leased lines, T1
lines, OC3 lines, digital satellite service, cable modem service,
or any other connection, or through an ISP providing same. Further,
the internetwork 210 may include a variety of network types
including wide-area networks, local area networks, campus area
networks, metropolitan area networks, and corporate area
networks.
In an exemplary embodiment, a browser, executing on one of the
clients 202, retrieves a Web document at an address from one of the
servers 204 via the internetwork 210, and displays the Web document
on a viewing device, e.g., a screen. A user can retrieve and view
the Web document by entering, or selecting a link to, a URL in the
browser. The browser then sends an http request to the server 204
that has the Web document associated with the URL. The server 204
responds to the http request by sending the requested Web document
to the client 202. The Web document is an HTTP object that includes
plain text (ASCII) conforming to the HyperText Markup Language
("HTML"). Other markup languages are known and may be used on
appropriately enabled browsers and servers, including the Dynamic
HyperText Markup Language ("DHTML"), the Extensible Markup Language
("XML"), the Extensible Hypertext Markup Language ("XHML"), and the
Standard Generalized Markup Language ("SGML").
Each Web document usually contains hyperlinks to other Web
documents. The browser displays the Web document on the screen for
the user and the hyperlinks to other Web documents are emphasized
in some fashion such that the user can identify and select each
hyperlink. To enhance functionality, a server 204 may execute
programs associated with Web documents using programming or
scripting languages, such as Perl, C, C++, C#, or Java, or a Common
Gateway Interface ("CGI") script to access applications on the
server. A server 204 may also use server-side scripting languages
such as ColdFusion from MacroMedia or PHP. These programs and
languages may perform "back-end" functions such as order
processing, database management, and content searching. A Web
document may also contain, or include references to, small
client-side applications, or applets, that are transferred from the
server 204 to the client 202 along with a Web document and executed
locally by the client 202. Java is one popular example of a
programming language used for applets. The text within a Web
document may further include (non-displayed) scripts that are
executable by an appropriately enabled browser, using a scripting
language such as JavaScript or Visual Basic Script. Browsers may
further be enhanced with a variety of helper applications to
interpret various media including still image formats such as JPEG
and GIF, document formats such as PS and PDF, motion picture
formats such as AVI and MPEG, animated media such as Flash media,
and sound formats such as MP3 and MIDI. These media formats, along
with a growing variety of proprietary media formats, may be used to
enrich a user's interactive and audio-visual experience as each Web
document is presented through the browser. In addition, user
interaction may be supplemented with technologies such as RSS (for
syndication), OPML (for outlining), AJAX (for dynamic control of a
web page), and so forth. The term "page" as used herein is intended
to refer to the Web document described above, as well as any of the
above-described functional or multimedia content associated with
the Web document. A page may be employed to provide a user
interface to the digital dentistry systems described herein. In
addition, one or more applications running on a client 202 may
provide a user interface for local and/or networked digital
dentistry functions as described herein.
In FIG. 2, each client 202 represents a computing device coupled to
the internetwork 210. It will be understood that a client 202 may
be present at a location associated with digital dentistry such as
a dental laboratory, a rapid manufacturing facility, a dental
office, and/or a dental data center. Each of these potential
participants in a digital dentistry system will now be described in
greater detail.
One of the clients 202 may reside at a dental office. The dental
office may include any office or other physical facility that
provides dental care including individual dentist offices, dental
group offices, retail dental centers, university dental schools,
and the like. A dental patient may visit the dental office for a
routine check up or cleaning, or for a visit scheduled due to oral
discomfort, dental injury, or the like.
During the dental visit, a dentist may examine the dental patient
and provide a dental assessment, such as the need for a
restoration, tooth extraction, or the like. The dental office may
include a three-dimensional scanner, such as any of the scanners
described above, which the dentist may use to capture a
three-dimensional digital representation of the dental patient's
dentition including scans both before and after one or more tooth
surfaces have been prepared for a dental object such as a
restoration or the like. While a scan may be performed in the
context of a specific dental issue, such as a planned restoration,
the dentist may also capture scans during routine visits so that a
dental history for the dental patient is accumulated over time.
Using the client 202, which may include the image capture system
100 described above, the dentist may obtain one or more
three-dimensional representations and, after discussing treatment
with the dental patient, input any relevant dental prescription
information. The dentist may then electronically transmit the
three-dimensional representations, along with the prescription, to
a dental laboratory or other fabrication facility using a network
such as the internetwork 210 described above. In general, an
electronic dental prescription, as used herein, includes a dental
prescription in electronic form along with any three-dimensional
data such as tooth surfaces before and after surface preparation,
teeth in occlusion, and so forth. Additional data, such as x-ray,
digital radiographic, or photograph data may be incorporated into
the electronic dental prescription, or otherwise used with the
systems and methods described herein. In certain instances, an
electronic dental prescription may instead refer exclusively to the
prescription data. In general, the meaning should be clear from the
context, however, in the absence of explicit guidance, the broadest
possible meaning is intended.
As a significant advantage, a practicing dentist may maintain a
history of three-dimensional representations of dentition and
surrounding soft tissue for each dental patient. Where a new
procedure, such as a restoration, is scheduled for the patient, the
dentist may pre-fabricate a temporary restoration using historic
dental data. The temporary restoration may be fabricated for
example, at the dental office where the procedure is scheduled
using a three-dimensional printer and/or a copy milling machine, or
at a remote facility such as the dental laboratory or rapid
manufacturing facility described below. In one aspect, a scan may
be obtained of a prepared surface during the scheduled visit, and
the temporary restoration (or a final restoration) may be
fabricated, such as at the dental office during the visit, by
combining historical three-dimensional data with a
three-dimensional representation of the prepared surface. In
another embodiment, a treating dentist may shape the surface
preparation to receive a pre-fabricated temporary restoration.
More generally, the client 202 at the dental office may be coupled
in a communicating relationship with a client 202 at one or more of
a dental laboratory, another dental office, a rapid manufacturing
facility, and/or a dental data center for communication of
three-dimensional representations of dental subject matter and
related information. This dental network may be usefully employed
in diagnosis, case planning, consultation, evaluation, and the
like. Participation may include, for example, consultation, online
or distance collaboration, approval, payment authorization, or any
other collaborative or unilateral participation, examples of which
are provided throughout this description. Thus there is disclosed
herein methods and systems for sharing digital dental data, such as
digital dental impressions captured using the techniques described
above. This may permit a wide array of collaborative communications
using a shared view of dentition or related digital models. For
example, a dentist may collaborate with another dentist, a dental
technician at a dental laboratory, an oral surgeon, a technician at
a rapid manufacturing facility, or any other participant in a
dental network at a remote location using a shared view of a
patient's dentition. Various dental specialists may participate
from remote (or local) locations, such as a periodontist, a
prosthodontist, a pedodontist, an orthodontic specialist, an oral
and maxillofacial surgery specialist, an oral and maxillofacial
radiology specialist, an endodontist, and/or an oral and
maxillofacial pathologist. Tools may be provided, such as
collaborative tools, for sharing control of model manipulation,
sectioning, rearranging, marking, and visualizing or simulating
proposed clinical procedures. Each participant may view a rendering
of the three-dimensional representation of dentition from a common
or shared point of view. Control of the view and any modeling tools
may be passed among participants, as well as a cursor or command
prompt shared by participants within a user interface. In one
aspect, this system forms a collaborative dental environment in
which a three-dimensional representation of a dental patient's
dentition is shared among participants. Communications among
participants may include any network-supported communications
protocol including electronic mail, instant messaging, Internet
Relay Chat, Voice-over-IP, and the like, as well as conventional
teleconferencing.
Turning next to the dental laboratory, a dental laboratory may
provide a fabrication resource for dental practitioners. A
conventional dental laboratory may have a number of production
departments specializing in various dental objects such as complete
dentures, partial dentures, crowns and bridges, ceramics, and
orthodontic appliances. A dental laboratory may employ trained
technicians to perform various tasks associated with filling a
dental prescription such as preparing dental models, dies,
articulated models, and the like from impressions and occlusal
registrations received from dentists. Typically, a dentist submits
an order with specific instructions (a prescription) to a dental
laboratory, and the laboratory fabricates the corresponding dental
object(s) for use by the dentist. A client 202 at a dental
laboratory may be coupled in a communicating relationship with a
client 202 at one or more of a dental office, another dental
laboratory, a rapid manufacturing facility, and/or a dental data
center for communication of three-dimensional representations of
dental subject matter and related information. This dental network
may be usefully employed in diagnosis, case planning, consultation,
evaluation, and the like.
Dental laboratories may for example create restorative products
such as crowns and bridges. A traditional crown formed of gold,
other metal alloys, or ceramic may replace all visible areas of a
tooth. An onlay is a partial crown that does not fully cover the
visible tooth. Crowns may include a precision attachment
incorporated into the design that may receive and connect a
removable partial denture. Inlays are restorations fabricated to
fit a prepared tooth cavity and then cemented into place. A bridge
is a restoration of one or more missing teeth, such as a fixed
partial, a three unit bridge, or the like. A bridge may be
permanently attached to the natural teeth or attached to
custom-made or prefabricated posts and cores that are first
cemented into the roots.
Another major area of dental objects includes reconstructive
products, most typically dentures. Partial dentures are a removable
dental prosthesis that replaces missing teeth and associated
structures. Full dentures substitute for the total loss of teeth
and associated structures. Some dental labs also make precision
attachments that connect a crown to an artificial prosthesis.
Implants are fixtures anchored securely in the bone of the mouth to
which an abutment, crown or other dental object can be attached
using screws, clips, or the like. This may include, for example, a
titanium root replacement integrated with the bone, an abutment or
transfer coping, and an implant secured to the abutment. Implant
procedures also typically involve a healing abutment to assist with
healing of affected soft tissue and to maintain positioning of
teeth while the root replacement attaches to the bone (which may
take several months). An additional impression may be taken of the
implant using an impression coping or abutment after it has
attached to the bone for preparation of a final restoration.
A dental laboratory may also manufacture cosmetic products such as
ceramic or composite resin veneers and crowns. Veneers are thin
coverings cemented to the front of the tooth for aesthetic affect.
Crowns are designed to cover the entire tooth preparation and will
resemble natural teeth. Composite or ceramic inlays and onlays may
be manufactured to replace amalgams and give teeth a more natural
appearance. Orthodontic appliances move existing teeth to enhance
function and/or appearance.
In general, the procedures described above involve transfer of a
dental impression to a laboratory for fabrication of the final
dental object. In some cases, such as implants, a number of
impressions may be taken over the course of treatment. Using a
scanner such as that described above, a dentist may capture an
accurate three-dimensional representation of dentition and
surrounding tissue and transmit this digital version of the dental
impression to a dental laboratory using a network such as the
internetwork 210 described above. The dental laboratory may receive
the data and proceed with any appropriate fabrication. In various
procedures, the three-dimensional representation may include data
from two or more scans, such as an initial three-dimensional
representation of dentition prior to any dental work, and a
prepared three-dimensional representation of the dentition after
one or more tooth surfaces have been prepared for the dental
object(s). The surface preparation may provide guidance to the
laboratory concerning fit of the restoration or other dental object
to the tooth surface, and the initial scan may provide valuable
information concerning the appropriate dimensions for the final
dental object and its relationship to surrounding teeth. A dentist
may also optionally specify a number of parameters for the dental
laboratory as described in various examples below.
Where a particular dental object is temporary, or will be covered
by another dental object at a subsequent dental visit, the object
may be fabricated with one or more characteristics that improve
scanning of any exposed surfaces once the object is placed within a
dental patient's mouth. For example, an object such as an
impression coping, fixture, or healing abutment may be fabricated
with scanning-optimized surfaces such as an optical or textured
finish. An optical finish may, for example, include randomly (or
pseudo-randomly) distributed coloration such as black or other
high-contrast dots. A textured finish may, for example, include a
pseudo-random texture or one or more discrete landmarks.
It will be appreciated that in certain embodiments the dental
laboratory may be an in-office dental laboratory physically located
within or near a dental office where a dental patient is receiving
treatment. In various embodiments, the in-office dental laboratory
may provide facilities for a subset of dental objects described
above, such as those most commonly used by a particular
dentist.
Rapid manufacturing facilities may also be employed with the
systems described herein. A rapid manufacturing facility may
include equipment for designing and/or fabricating dental objects
for use in dental procedures. A client 202 at a rapid manufacturing
facility may be coupled in a communicating relationship with a
client 202 at one or more of a dental office, another dental
laboratory, a rapid manufacturing facility, and/or a dental data
center for communication of three-dimensional representations of
dental subject matter and related information. This dental network
may be usefully employed in diagnosis, case planning, consultation,
evaluation, and the like.
Rapid manufacturing facilities may include, for example one or more
stereo lithography apparatuses, three-dimensional printers,
computerized milling machines, or other three-dimensional rapid
prototyping facilities or similar resources. A particular facility
may include one or more of a number of different types of machines
which may be scheduled for various fabrication jobs received
through the internetwork 210. In one embodiment, a single facility
may provide a large number of machines along with suitably trained
technical personal to provide a centralized fabrication facility.
In another embodiment, machines may be distributed at various
locations, including one or more machines within dental offices and
dental laboratories. Where copings, crowns, or the like are to be
finished at the rapid manufacturing facility rather than, for
example, a dental laboratory, the rapid manufacturing facility may
also include machinery such as pressing machines and electroplating
machines.
More generally, a dental fabrication facility may include one or
more of the rapid manufacturing facilities, dental laboratory
facilities, or in-office dental laboratories described above,
either alone or in combination.
A dental data center may provide a hub for a digital dentistry
network. A server 204 at a dental laboratory may be coupled in a
communicating relationship with a client 202 at one or more of a
dental office, a dental laboratory, a rapid manufacturing facility,
and/or another dental data center for communication of
three-dimensional representations of dental subject matter and
related information. This dental network may be usefully employed
in diagnosis, case planning, consultation, evaluation, and the
like. The dental data center may, for example operate as an
intermediary between dentists, laboratories, and fabrication
facilities to provide a common repository for new dental jobs from
a dental office, which may be distributed to available resources at
one or more dental laboratories and/or rapid fabrication
facilities. In addition to scheduling and workload allocation, the
dental data center may provide various value-added services such as
quality control for incoming three-dimensional representation,
financial transaction management, insurance authorization and
payment, and the like.
The dental data center may coordinate a number of transactions
within a digital dentistry network. For example, the dental data
center may engage in continuous bidding for fabrication work in
order to ensure competitive pricing for fabrication facility and
dental laboratory work sourced from the dental data center. As
another example, the dental data center may provide status updates
concerning a fabrication job to a dentist or other participant,
including up-to-date information such as job received, job at
fabrication facility, job at dental laboratory, model completed,
waxing completed, investing completed, casting completed, porcelain
build-up completed, restoration completed, finishing, shipping, and
so forth. The dental data center may provide a web-based
work-in-progress interface through which a dentist may monitor
progress. Other known systems, such as electronic mail alerts or
RSS updates, may be used to provide status updates to dentists or
other interested parties. While a dental data center may be
usefully employed with the digital dentistry systems described
herein, it will also be understood that various dental networks may
operate independently between parties, such as between a dental
office and a dental laboratory or between a dental laboratory and a
rapid manufacturing facility, or between a number of dental offices
and a rapid manufacturing facility, without a centralized server at
a dental data center. All such embodiments are intended to fall
within the scope of this disclosure. Further, it will be understood
that a wide array of software platforms, communications protocols,
security protocols, user interfaces, and the like are known, and
may be suitably adapted to a web-based, web-services based, or
other dental data center as described herein.
A digital dentistry network may include other participants, such as
a consulting dentist, and oral surgeon, an insurer, a federal or
state regulator or oversight entity, or any other dental entity.
Each of these participants may communicate with other participants
in the digital dentistry network through use of a client 202.
Through this digital dentistry network, various methods and systems
may be deployed. For example, in one aspect a three-dimensional
representation and a dental prescription may be electronically
transmitted to an insurer through the network, and the insurer may
respond with authorization to perform the specified dental
procedure (or a denial, which may include any reasons for the
denial), including fabrication of any related dental objects. The
insurer may maintain an electronic copy of three-dimensional
representations relevant to the authorization, such as an image of
the tooth surface prepared for the procedure. The insurer may also
render payment, or authorize payment, to a treating dentist. The
insurer may also, or instead, render payment to related entities,
such as a dental laboratory or rapid manufacturing facility, for
fabrication services provided. In one common practice, the insurer
makes a single payment to the treating dentist who may in turn
contract desired vendors for fabrication services. However, the
insurer may render payments separately to one or more parties
involved including a dentist, a dental patient, a dental
laboratory, a rapid manufacturing facility, and so on.
In one aspect, dental laboratory procedures may be improved by
fabricating a kit of components for use by a dental laboratory in
subsequent fabrication of a final restoration, prosthesis, or the
like. For example, a kit may include one or more of a die, a quad
model, an opposing quad model, a full arch model, an opposing arch
model, a base, a pre-articulated base, a waxup, and so forth. More
generally, the kit may include one or more pre-cut components,
pre-indexed components, and pre-articulated components for assembly
into a dental model, such as a model adapted for use with an
articulator. The kit may also, or instead, include various interim
components of dental manufacture, such as required or commonly used
components for particular procedures, e.g., the PFM crown kit, the
bridge kit, and so on. All or some of these components may be
automatically fabricated as a kit by a production facility
specializing in high-throughput such as the rapid manufacturing
facility described above, and the kit may be forwarded to a dental
laboratory specializing in creation of final restorations and the
like. This approach leverages the relative expertise of these two
participants in a digital dentistry network, and may achieve
significant decreases in cost and time to a final restoration or
other dental object. Alternatively, a dentist may determine and
directly fabricated any required kit components using, for example,
an in-house three-dimensional printer. In one aspect, a group of
different kits may be established for different dental work, so
that a dental prescription automatically triggers fabrication of
the corresponding kit.
FIG. 3 shows a user interface that may be used in a digital dental
system. The user interface may be presented, for example, as a Web
page viewed using a Web browser, or as an application executing on
one of the clients 202 described above, or as a remotely hosted
application, or as a combination of these.
The interface 300 may include navigation features such as a home
control 302, a name directory control 304, a toolbox control 306,
and a security control 308. Each of these features may direct the
interface 300 to a different functional area. For example, the home
control 302 may access a top level menu that provides access to,
for example, system login, data source selection, hardware/software
configuration, administrative tools, and so forth. The name
directory control 304 may access a directory of patients,
physicians, dental laboratories, rapid manufacturing facilities and
like, and permit searching, data input, and so forth. The directory
may, for example, provide access to patient dental records and
history, contact information, and the like. The toolbox control 306
may provide access to tools for scanning, case planning and
management, scheduling, and the like. The security control 308 may
provide access to account management, communications configuration,
and other security-oriented features and functions of a digital
dentistry system.
Within each main area of top-level navigation, the interface 300
may provide a number of tabs, such as the scanning tab 310, the
prescription tab 312, and the status tab 314 depicted in FIG. 3.
The scanning tab 310 may, for example, invoke an interface for
controlling operation of an image capture system 100 such as that
described above in reference to FIG. 1. The prescription tab 312
may, for example, invoke an interface that permits specification of
a restoration or other dental object, including a specification of
teeth being treated, treatment type, manufacturer, and details of
the dental object including color, material, texture, and so forth.
The interface of the prescription tab 312 may also include tools
for transmitting a prescription, along with any three-dimensional
data obtained from scans of a patient, to a dental laboratory,
dental data center, rapid manufacturing facility, or the like The
status tab 314 may, for example, invoke an interface for obtaining
or updating status information on a case such as the fabrication
status of a prescription (e.g., prescription and scan received,
scan evaluated and approved, models complete, object fabricated,
object shipped to dentist, and so forth).
FIG. 3 depicts in more detail a prescription window of the
interface 300, as accessed by selecting the prescription tab 312.
This window may show current data for a prescription within a text
window 320. A scroll bar 322 or other control may be provided for
selecting options relating to a prescription. In operation, and by
way of example only, a feature of the prescription, such as the
material or manufacturer, may be highlighted within the text window
320, and options for that feature may selected from the scroll bar
322. The window may also include additional navigational or process
controls such as a next button 324, a back button 326, and a finish
button 328, which may be used to navigate through one or more
different windows of a prescription and/or case planning interface.
This may include, for example, input of patient data, selection of
a dental laboratory, scheduling of dental visits, and the like. It
will be understood that the above interface 300 is an example only
and that other hierarchical arrangements of functions, and/or
arrangements of data and controls within a particular interface,
are possible and may be employed with a digital dental system as
described herein. For example, the interface may control scanning,
marking or annotation of scanned models, case planning, access to
databases of patient records and dental data, preparation of
prescriptions, analysis of dentition, scheduling, management of
patient data, communications with remote fabrication facilities,
and so forth. Any user interface or combination of user interfaces
and user interface technologies suitable for a digital dental
system as described herein may be employed without departing from
the scope of this disclosure. As such, a user interface 300 should
be understood more generally with reference to the systems and
methods described herein, and not by specific reference to the
example interface shown in FIG. 3.
Having described a number of aspects of a digital dentistry system
and network, along with various participants in such a network,
specific uses of the system will now be discussed in greater
detail.
FIG. 4 depicts a quality control procedure for use in a digital
dental system. The process 400 may start 402 by obtaining a digital
model, such as a three-dimensional representation of dental subject
matter as described generally above.
The digital model may include a single model, such as a digital
model of dentition prior to any dental work, such as for archival
or comparison purposes. This may also, or instead, be a digital
model of dentition including one or more prepared surfaces, such as
a single tooth surface prepared for a crown, or a number of tooth
surfaces prepared for a multi-unit bridge. This may also include a
scan of bite registration. For example, a scan may be obtained of
the teeth of a dental patient in centric relation, centric
occlusion, or with maximum intercuspation, in protrusion (e.g., for
sleep apnea guards), in lateral excursions, or in any other static
orientation useful for any of the dental procedures described
herein. As a significant advantage, the upper and lower arches may
be treated as rigid bodies, thus permitting relative
three-dimensional orientation for a full bite registration to be
obtained from a scan of a relatively small region of the upper and
lower arches while in occlusion, such as centric occlusion. Thus
for example, a three-dimensional scan that spans the two arches,
such as a scan of the exterior surfaces of one or two teeth in a
buccal or labial area, may be used to register bite. In addition,
the digital model may include motion information describing the
relative motion of, e.g., an upper and lower jaw throughout one or
more jaw motions such as opening and closing the mouth or simulated
chewing. Such motion data may, for example, be obtained through a
variety of techniques suitable for tracking three-dimensional
motion, which may include extrapolation from video data, use of
transmitters on the moving jaws, mechanical or electromechanical
sensors and/or transmitters, and so forth. Motion data may also be
inferred by capturing orientation data for the jaws in a variety of
positions. Motion data may be employed, for example, to derive the
position of TMJ condyle paths of rotation and translation, or to
provide input to a virtual or conventional dental articulator.
In addition, dynamic three-dimensional data may be obtained and
used. As noted elsewhere herein, some systems permit direct
three-dimensional video capture. However, other techniques may be
employed to capture dynamic data. For example, in one example
process, two opposing arches may be brought into natural occlusion.
The dental patient may then slide the arches forward and back and
from side to side, during which the scanner may capture relative
motion of the two rigid bodies defined by the two opposing arches.
The captured data may be used to characterize and animate a
three-dimensional transformation that captures the full excursion
of the dentition. This data may, in turn, be registered to detailed
scans of the opposing arches. As a further use of this type of
data, the excursion data may be used in combination with detailed
arch data to provide a cutting tool or path for occlusal surfaces
of a restoration. Thus, occlusal surfaces may be measured or
otherwise determined during a scan, and applied to define surfaces
of a restoration. Using various CAD modeling tools, the restoration
may be further refined, such as by shaping side walls of the
restoration, adding visually appealing and/or functional cusps to
the occlusal surfaces, and so forth. Thus in one aspect there is
disclosed herein a method for determining one or more occlusal
surfaces of a dental restoration using dynamic three-dimensional
data acquired during a scan. The method may include obtaining a
three dimensional model of two opposing arches of a patient's
dentition, obtaining excursion data for the two opposing arches,
preparing a tooth surface of the dentition for a restoration, and
determining an occlusal surface of the restoration using the
excursion data and the three-dimensional model.
More generally, any digital model or other data useful in dental
procedures, restorations, and the like as described herein may be
obtained in step 404.
Once a digital model (or models) is obtained in step 404, the
process 400 may proceed to one or more quality control steps as
depicted in steps 406-410.
This may include automated quality control, as shown in step 406,
which may be simple quantitative analysis such as measures of
accuracy, variability, or density of three-dimensional surface data
for a digital model. This may also, or instead, include more
sophisticated, automated analyses such as adequacy and/or
suitability of margins and prepared surfaces for an anticipated
restoration. For example, an automated quality control tool may
examine a prepared tooth surface to ensure that a margin line is
present all the way around a preparation, or examine the prepared
surface to ensure that adequate material has been removed to
accommodate a restoration. Similarly, an automated process may
locate areas of potential problems, such as occlusal high spots,
occlusal clearance, occlusal irregularities, areas of poor margin
preparation, areas of inadequate tooth removal, improper taper,
improper draw path or removal path for a multiple unit preparation,
inappropriate contour, and so forth.
In one aspect, quality control may include real time feedback
during a scan, or between successive scans. The feedback may be
rendered with suitable visualizations on a display to permit
immediate observation and correction by a dentist. Thus it will be
appreciate that, while depicted in FIG. 4 as a post-scanning
operation, quality control may be implemented at any time in a
digital dentistry process, or throughout the entire process. Real
time feedback may include for example, textual annotations
identifying teeth as they are recognized within a scan, and
providing one or more dimensions of a tooth, or an analysis of
contour, clearance relative to adjacent teeth, or a position of the
tooth relative to other teeth or relative to a global coordinate
system. By providing this information in real time within the
context of a single dental visit, treatment may be generally
improved by reducing or eliminating a need for follow up scans.
In another aspect, quality control may include an evaluation of
suitability of a surface preparation, or a restoration or other
dental object prepare for the restoration, for manufacturing using
one or more techniques, including three-dimensional printing,
milling, stereo lithography, and or conventional dental
fabrication, or various combinations of these.
Although not depicted in FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that
quality control may be semi-automated. Thus, for example, a user
interface may provide a number interactive, three-dimensional tools
such as markup tools that a dentist or other dental professional
may use to measure, mark, annotate, or otherwise manipulate a
digital model to evaluate suitability for subsequent processing and
the creation of a physical dental object such as a restoration.
As shown in step 408, quality control may include manual quality
control. For example, a dentist may inspect a scan in an
interactive, three-dimensional environment to visually identify,
e.g., holes or areas of incomplete scan needed for an intended
dental procedure. The dentist may employ various features, such as
rotation, zooming, and panning to inspect various surfaces of the
three-dimensional digital representation from a scan.
As shown in step 410, quality control may include remote quality
control. For example, after completing a scan, a dental office may
transmit a digital model to a dental laboratory or a fabrication
facility for evaluation of adequacy of the scan. As a significant
advantage, the recipient, such as a dental laboratory may provide
immediate feedback to a dentist while a dental patient is still in
the dental office, or still in a dentist's chair at a dental
office, thus avoiding a need to schedule repeat visits for
additional surface scanning or surface preparation. A dental
laboratory may inspect a prepared surface to ensure that a
restoration can be fit to the prepared surface, or that there is
adequate space (especially thickness) for a restoration or other
dental object. The dental laboratory may also evaluate color and
suggest shade matching for a dentist. The dental laboratory may
request manual marking of a margin by a dentist where the margin is
not visible on a prepared tooth surface. The dental laboratory may
also apply separate standards for data quality (density, accuracy,
surface continuity, feature detail, etc.), and may request
additional or new scan data consistent with its own specifications.
The dental office may transmit a case plan prior to (or during)
transmission of a scan, which may permit more detailed analysis of
the scan data by the recipient. Thus, for example, a dental
laboratory may evaluate suitability of the scan and/or surface
preparation for a type of restoration and any prescribed components
(e.g., full ceramic, porcelain-fused-to-metal, etc.). Where the
dental laboratory can quickly generate an accurate or rough model
for a restoration or other dental object according to any
fabrication or end use constraints, the rough model may, in digital
form, be virtually fit to the prepared surface, and feedback may be
provided to a dentist such as an identification of regions
requiring further reduction.
Quality control, whether automated or manual, and whether local or
remote, may include a variety of different dental evaluations. For
example, a prepared tooth in an arch that will receive a
restoration may be evaluated to determine whether there is adequate
space for cement to bond the restoration to the prepared tooth
surface. As another example, a dentist may visually confirm
accuracy of a scan by inspection for gross errors or omissions such
as holes, gaps, distortions, twists, and the like. The dentist may
also visually inspect margin lines on surface preparations, and may
annotate margins for identification by a dental laboratory or other
fabrication facility. Similarly, a dental laboratory may, during a
quality control evaluation, request that the dentist identify the
margins on a surface preparation where the margin lines are not
self-evident.
Feedback from a quality control step, whether automated or manual,
and whether remote or local, may include various forms of feedback.
For example, an evaluation may conclude with an identification of
regions of a prepared tooth surface requiring additional
preparation or reduction, or regions of a digital model requiring
additional or supplemental scanning due to incomplete, erroneous,
or potentially erroneous data, which may be identified, for
example, by comparison to models of expected shape for dentition,
surface preparations, and the like. An evaluation from a dental
laboratory may request new data, or additional shaping of a
prepared surface. An evaluation from a dental laboratory may
include a request for an oral consultation. In addition other
dental professionals such as a consulting dentist, an oral surgeon,
a dental specialist, or a laboratory technician may be called upon
for evaluation, approval, and/or recommendations. Feedback may be
presented to a dentist in a number of forms. For example, the
feedback may include text or audible narrative concerning
additional scanning, additional surface preparation, or requests
for confirmation. The feedback may be graphical feedback provided
by highlighting questionable or erroneous areas of a preparation
within a rendered display of scan data. The feedback may identify
corrective action on a scan or a surface preparation. The feedback
may identify a margin line which may be displayed on a
two-dimensional rendering of a three-dimensional representation,
and a user interface may permit the margin line to be edited or
confirmed. The feedback may include a visual display with regions
of inadequate margin highlighted, such as through use of color,
texture, or explicit annotations, arrows, callouts, or the like,
and any combination of these.
It will be understood that the quality control steps indicated in
FIG. 4 are not mutually exclusive. That is each of the quality
control steps 406-410 may be performed during the process 400, such
as in sequence or in parallel (as where a dentist and a laboratory
evaluate a scan simultaneously), and all such variations are
intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.
Any of the quality control steps above may advantageously be
performed while a dental patient is still present at a dental
office, or while the patient is still in a dental chair, thus
reducing or eliminating the need for follow up dental visits for
additional scanning.
After one or more quality control steps 406-410, a determination
may be made as to whether a scan and/or surface preparations are
satisfactory. If the data is not satisfactory, the process 400 may
proceed to step 414 where the digital model may be supplemented or
replaced with new scan data. This may include, for example, new
scanning to replace apparently erroneous or inadequate scan data,
or a new scan of the dental subject matter following, e.g.,
additional surface preparation consistent with errors identified
during quality control. The process 400 may then return to step 404
where a new digital model is obtained.
If it is determined in step 412 that the data is satisfactory, the
process 400 may proceed to step 416 where a dentist may prepare a
prescription. The prescription may include, for example, a dental
patient identification, an identification of one or more teeth
being treated, a type of treatment (e.g., for a restoration, one or
more of a bridge, a crown, an inlay, a laminate veneer, an onlay,
or a temporary), an identification of missing teeth (if
appropriate), a material or fabrication technology (e.g., full
ceramic, cast metal, PFM, etc.), an alloy type (e.g., for a PFM
crown), a manufacturer (e.g., Cercon, Cerec, Empress, Everest,
Lava, Procera, etc.), limited occlusal clearance (e.g.,
enamalplasty, reduction coping, etc.), a shade guide (e.g., Vita 3D
Master, Vita Classical, etc.), a surface texture, a surface glaze,
an opacity, an occlusal staining, dental notes, and any other
information relevant to identification or preparation of the dental
object. For example, for a crown the specification may include a
material type, a design (such as metal band, 360-degree facial butt
porcelain shoulder, facial butt porcelain shoulder, metal occlusal
surface, or no metal showing), a return (e.g., biscuit bake,
finish, metal try-in, etc.). Each specification may include
subspecifications. For example, a metal band crown may be specified
as having the metal band located at a buccal location, a lingual
location, or 360-degree.
As shown in step 418, once the prescription has been completed, the
digital model and prescription may be uploaded to a dental
laboratory or other fabrication facility using, for example, the
dental network described above. The process 400 may then end, as
shown in step 420.
It will be understood that numerous variations and modifications to
the above process 400 may be used. For example, the prescription
may be prepared at a different point in the process, such as before
scanning so that the prescription data may be used to evaluate
sufficiency of the scan data. As another example, each digital
model (e.g., native tooth surfaces, bit registration, prepared
tooth surfaces) may be separately presented to one or more quality
control steps, or the entire digital model may be obtained prior to
any quality control analysis. All such variations and modifications
are intended to fall within the scope of the methods and systems
described herein.
FIG. 5 shows a dental laboratory procedure using a digital dental
model. While described as a dental laboratory procedure, it will be
understood that the fabrication and quality control procedures
described with reference to FIG. 5 may be performed by any
fabrication facility including a dental fabrication facility such
as a dental laboratory equipped to receive digital dental data, a
model production laboratory (such as a rapid fabrication facility,
milling facility, and the like), an in-office dental laboratory at
a dental office, or any other dental fabrication facility. The
fabrication facility may include a remote facility accessible
through the dental network, and digital dental data may be
communicated to the fabrication facility directly or through a hub
for dental data such as the dental data center described above.
As shown in step 504, the process 500 may start 502 by receiving a
digital model from a dentist or other source. This may include, for
example, a digital model, such as a digital surface representation
obtained using the image capture system 100 described above, of a
surface prepared for a restoration such as a crown, or any other
dental object.
As shown in step 506, the dental laboratory may design and/or
fabricate a restoration or other dental object based upon the
digital model received in step 504. This may include a variety of
fabrication techniques, including working from a physical cast of a
dental impression created using conventional dentistry techniques,
or three-dimensional printing or other fabrication techniques to
manufacture various interim components of dental manufacture such
as dies, casts, and the like, or direct fabrication of a virtually
designed restoration, such as through computerized milling of the
restoration from ceramic.
In one aspect, designing the restoration may include a step of
virtually adding a die spacer to a digital model. It is known in
dentistry to employ a die spacer--a thin layer painted onto regions
of dental models to--improve the final fit between a prepared tooth
surface in a dental patient's mouth and a restoration or other
dental object. The die spacer may for example provide a small void
between a cast of the prepared surface and a restoration
constructed for the cast which may provide a void for cement used
with the final fitting, or to account for size changes in the
restoration fabrication process. The die spacer may be virtually
added to a digital model of a prepared surface to achieve a similar
effect with a restoration that is to be directly fabricated from
the digital model, or an interim component such as a fabricated
cast of a dental impression used to create the restoration.
Similarly, where a cast dental model is to be fabricated from a
digital model, the die spacer may be added to appropriate regions
of the prepared surface and any other suitable surfaces to remove
or reduce the need for use of die spacers in subsequent fabrication
steps. More generally, a virtual die spacer may be added to a
digital model of a conventional dental model, a die, a waxup, or
any other interim component of dental manufacture to account for a
cementation void or other physical variations in the design of a
final restoration. This cementation void or virtual die spacer may
be fabricated directly into a die, waxup, or other interim
component that may be three-dimensionally printed or otherwise
manufactured from the digital model.
Thus in one aspect, disclosed herein is a virtual die spacer. In
fabricating a dental restoration, a virtual dies spacer or
cementation void may be specified, either by an originating dental
office or a dental laboratory, and this void may be automatically
or manually added to appropriate regions of a digital model to
provide a corresponding cementation void in a final restoration. As
a significant advantage, the thickness of the virtual die spacer
may be explicitly specified, and may be adjusted according to, for
example, a dentist's preference or according to a type of cement to
be used with the restoration. Dentist preferences concerning die
spacer thickness may also be stored for reuse, and dentist feedback
(e.g., "too tight" or "inadequate void") may be recorded to provide
sizing for a final restoration or other dental object that more
closely meets and individual dentist's expectations.
In another aspect, designing the restoration may include virtually
ditching a die for a restoration. In conventional dentistry, a
material may be cut away from a die below the margin line (which
would otherwise include bone, soft tissue, and the like) prior to
use as a restoration model. This operation may be performed
virtually within a user interface that includes interactive tools
for manipulating a three-dimensional representation of dentition.
Initially, this may include an automated, semi-automated, or manual
step of defining a die in three-dimensional space by identifying a
plane, a point, or a line used to separate a die from a model in an
operation analogous to physically cutting a die from a conventional
dental model. This may be followed by additional steps such as
separate steps of explicitly identifying a margin line with a first
tool and then manipulating the digital model "below" the margin
line, i.e., away from the tooth surface fitted to a restoration,
with a second tool to remove unwanted or unneeded areas from a
volume bounded by the digital surface representation. This process
may be semi-automated or automated, such as by automatic
identification of the margin line and removal of a predetermined
amount of sub-margin volume. The ditched die may then be directly
fabricated using techniques described above.
Regardless of the interim modeling and fabrication steps, this step
may result in a restoration in physical form, such as a crown,
bridge, inlay, onlay, or other dental object intended for use by a
dental patient.
As shown in step 508, the restoration may be scanned using, for
example, an image capture system 100 such as the system described
above with reference to FIG. 1, to obtain a scanned
restoration.
As shown in step 510, the scanned restoration may be test fit to
the digital model received in step 504, such as by virtually
superimposing the scanned restoration to the digital model. This
may permit evaluation of a variety of fit criteria prior to an
attempt to fit the physical restoration to a prepared surface in
the dental patient's mouth. This includes, for example, an
evaluation of margin fit, an evaluation of void space for cement
used to affix the restoration to the prepared surface, and any
other evaluation relating the prepared surface directly to the
restoration or abutting tooth surfaces. This may also include an
evaluation of bite, occlusions, lateral excursions and any other
evaluation relating to jaw motion or the mating of lower and upper
arches with the restoration in place.
In another aspect, test fitting may include measuring dimensional
accuracy of the scanned restoration. For example, the restoration
in this context may include a prosthesis, an implant, an appliance,
a restorative component, an abutment, a fixture, or any other
dental object. The scanned restoration may be measured for fit
between adjacent teeth, or for evaluation of contact points with
teeth of an opposing arch when the restoration is fitted to a
prepared surface (or more specifically, when the scanned
restoration is virtually fitted to a scan of the prepared surface),
or a fit to the prepared surface, possibly including an allowance
for die spacing on one or more surfaces. A dentist may specify a
desired tightness of fit, which may be quantified objectively
(e.g., in millimeters or microns) or subjectively (e.g., loose,
average, tight, etc.).
In one aspect, feedback from specific dentists may be monitored, so
that subsequent restorations may more closely meet each dentist's
expectations for a desired tightness of fit.
In another aspect, measuring dimensional accuracy may include
evaluating a quality of margin fit between a scanned restoration
and a scanned surface preparation, in order to avoid fitting
difficulties at the time of fitting the physical restoration to a
patient's dentition.
As shown in step 512, the test fit of step 510 may be followed by a
determination of whether the physical restoration is satisfactory.
If the physical restoration is not satisfactory, the process 500
may proceed to step 514 where the physical restoration is reworked,
or a new restoration prepared. If the physical restoration is
satisfactory, the physical model may be sent to a dental office for
a final fitting procedure in the dental patient's mouth. It may
also be advantageous to also forward the scan of the restoration to
the originating dental office in order to begin preparation for the
final fitting procedure. The process 500 may then end 518.
It will be understood that numerous variations and modifications to
the above process 500 may be used. For example, although not
depicted in FIG. 5, in certain instances where it appears that a
physical restoration cannot be properly fabricated to fit the
restoration site, e.g., the prepare surface and surrounding
dentition, the dental laboratory may contact the originating dental
office to request additional preparation of the target surface. All
such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the
scope of the methods and systems described herein.
It will further be appreciated that, even in a system where the
digital surface representation is used directly to fabricate a cast
dental model to which subsequent, conventional dental laboratory
techniques are applied, significant advantages may be realized
through elimination or mitigation of physical handling and shipping
of a dental impression. Thus in one aspect, there is disclosed
herein a technique for acquiring a digital model, such as a digital
surface representation, of a prepared surface and/or surrounding
dentition, and transmitting the digital model to a dental
laboratory or rapid manufacturing facility for preparation of a
restoration or other dental object.
FIG. 6 illustrates a scan path that may be used with a
three-dimensional image capture system. In a system that operates
to continuously acquire three-dimensional data in real time, and
fits or registers incremental three-dimensional data to an
aggregate three-dimensional model, it may be advantageous to scan
in a manner that increases registration to the aggregate model.
Thus, for example, a scan path that runs adjacent to edges of the
aggregate model may provide additional registration or fit
information and improve overall accuracy, particularly over large
surfaces. With respect to scans of human dentition, this general
approach suggests an s-shaped scan that traces from interior to
exterior (or exterior to interior) surfaces of one tooth, and then
reverses direction to trace an exterior-to-interior path
immediately adjacent to the initial path, which may reduce overall
spatial error between extremities of the arch. Without loss of
generality, a more detailed example of this approach is set out
below.
A scan path 600 for obtaining three-dimensional data from a dental
arch 602 using a scanner such as the scanner 102 described above
with reference to FIG. 1 may begin at a first lingual point 604.
The scan path may then traverse laterally over an occlusal point
606 or surface of a molar to a first buccal point 608, translate to
a second buccal point 610 by moving forward along the gum line, and
then traverse laterally over a second occlusal point to a second
lingual point. The scan path may then translate forward once again
to a third lingual point, traverse laterally over a third occlusal
point to a third buccal point, and once again translate forward. By
scanning in this s-shaped manner, each successive pass over
occlusal surfaces may be fit to data from an adjacent pass over the
occlusal surfaces, as well as to one or more immediately prior
frames of data. While the remainder of a scan path is not
illustrated in FIG. 6, it will be understood that the scan may
continue along the entire arch in this manner, finally reaching a
molar 612 at the opposite extremity of the arch.
It will be understood that the spacing of adjacent passes may be
greater or less than illustrated. For example, a buccal-to-lingual
pass may cover a portion of a tooth, an entire tooth, or a number
of teeth depending upon, for example, the field of view for data
acquisition with the scanner. It will also be understood that the
starting and ending points of the generally s-shaped scan are
somewhat arbitrary. A scan may begin, for example at a lingual
point, at an occlusal point, or at a buccal point. Further, the
scan may begin at a molar, or the scan may begin at an incisor,
with two consecutive scans performed from this central location to
each molar extremity of the arch. All such variations are intended
to fall within the scope of the scan path described herein. In
general, regardless of the starting point, a generally s-shaped
scan may move along adjacent buccal-to-lingual passes in the manner
described above. In one aspect, real-time feedback may be provided
to a user by displaying on a display a next appropriate direction
of motion for a scan that follows the generally s-shaped path.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show a modeling environment for creating alignment
guides for orthodontic hardware. A three-dimensional representation
702 of dentition and surrounding soft tissue may be acquired from a
dental patient as described generally above, and rendered within a
user interface 704 on a computer such as the image capture system
100 described above, or more generally, the client 202 described
above. In various embodiments, orthodontic hardware may be
virtually placed on the three-dimensional representation 702, which
may be used to determine appropriate positions for one or more
alignment guides, or brackets may themselves be virtually
positioned on the three-dimensional representation 702 with
corresponding alignment guides being generated by computer, or the
alignment guides may be directly positioned on the
three-dimensional representation 702. The user interface may
include interactive tools for virtually positioning orthodontic
hardware and/or brackets for orthodontic hardware and/or alignment
guides onto the three-dimensional representation 702 within the
user interface 704. The design of orthodontic hardware and any
corresponding positioning of brackets or the like, may be performed
by a dentist at a dental office and transmitted to a dental
laboratory or other fabrication facility, or the unmodified
three-dimensional representation may be transmitted to the dental
laboratory along with a prescription for orthodontic hardware.
FIG. 7A shows a three-dimensional representation 702 with visual
markings 706 that serve as alignment guides. This marked
three-dimensional representation 702, or digital dental model, may
serve as a basis for subsequent fabrication of custom orthodontic
hardware. The markings 706 may be fabricated directly into a
physical realization of the digital dental model, such as using
pigmented printing techniques, or the markings 706 may be added to
the physical realization after fabrication using additional
computerized or manual marking techniques.
FIG. 7B shows a three-dimensional representation 702 with supports
708 that serve as a physical alignment guide. This
three-dimensional representation 702, or digital dental model, may
serve as a basis for subsequent fabrication of custom orthodontic
hardware. As depicted, each support 708 may include a horizontal
top surface or shelf for supporting an orthodontic fixture or other
hardware. However, it will be understood that any physical form
capable of supporting or engaging the intended hardware may
suitable by employed, and fabricated into a physical model. The
supports 708 may be fabricated directly into a physical realization
of the digital dental model using techniques such as
three-dimensional printing, stereo lithography, or computerized
milling.
The alignment guides may serve to guide positioning of an
orthodontic fixture onto the physical realization of the digital
dental model to assist in fabricating custom orthodontic hardware.
In an additional processing step, once the corresponding
orthodontic hardware, such as brackets, is positioned onto the
physical model, the position of a number of brackets may be
captured in a physical template such as a foam, a vacuum-formed
appliance, or the like, for direct transfer to an arch within a
dental patient's mouth. The appliance may, for example, be formed
of a soft, clear material for easy handling by a dentist and/or
greater comfort for a dental patient. In such a process, a treating
dentist may perform an additional scan of the patient's dentition
immediately prior to affixing the brackets to ensure that the
natural dentition still corresponds closely to the model used for
virtual bracket positioning.
In another embodiment, additional modeling may be employed to
create a virtual bracket carrier model--a device to carry brackets
in a specific relative orientation--that can be physically realized
as a bracket positioning appliance through direct fabrication using
any of the techniques described above. The bracket carrier model
may include one or more alignment guides for brackets such as those
described generally above. Brackets may then be attached to the
bracket positioning appliance for transfer to an arch within a
dental patient's mouth. The treating dentist may perform an
additional scan of the patient's dentition immediately prior to
affixing the brackets to ensure that the natural dentition still
corresponds closely to the model used to create the bracket
positioning appliance.
It will be appreciated that the processes and methods disclosed
herein may be realized in hardware, software, or any combination of
these suitable for the three-dimensional imaging and modeling
techniques described herein. This includes realization in one or
more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers,
programmable digital signal processors or other programmable
device, along with internal and/or external memory. The may also,
or instead, include one or more application specific integrated
circuits, programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic
components, or any other device or devices that may be configured
to process electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that
a realization may include computer executable code created using a
structured programming language such as C, an object oriented
programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or
low-level programming language (including assembly languages,
hardware description languages, and database programming languages
and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to
run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous
combinations of processors, processor architectures, or
combinations of different hardware and software. At the same time,
processing may be distributed across devices such as a camera
and/or computer in a number of ways or all of the functionality may
be integrated into a dedicated, standalone image capture device.
All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall within
the scope of the present disclosure.
It will also be appreciated that means for performing the steps
associated with the processes described above may include any
suitable components of the image capture system 100 described above
with reference to FIG. 1, along with any software and/or hardware
suitable for controlling operation of same. The user interfaces
described herein may, for example, be rendered within the display
110 of the image capture system 100 of FIG. 1.
While the invention has been disclosed in connection with certain
preferred embodiments, other embodiments will be recognized by
those of ordinary skill in the art, and all such variations,
modifications, and substitutions are intended to fall within the
scope of this disclosure. Thus, the invention is to be understood
with reference to the following claims, which are to be interpreted
in the broadest sense allowable by law.
* * * * *